Chapter 352: Changing Tactics

Chapter 352: Changing Tactics

In one villa, the air simmered with undercurrents—two women circled each other with sweet smiles and sharpened words, each vying for space beside the same man. But just a short distance away, in a far quieter corner of the neighborhood, a young man sat alone before the pale glow of his computer screen, typing out a rental listing with steady fingers.

That man was Ye Qiu.

The fire that broke out previously delayed the process, but now that the villa has been fully renovated, it is once again ready to take in new tenants. For Ye Qiu, this was more than just a practical move—it was the life he had envisioned for himself after retirement, a kind of personal dream, even an obsession.

When the listing was finally published, he let out a soft breath, as though releasing weeks of pressure.

With time to spare before anyone responded, he opened a hidden folder on his computer, one filled with encrypted files, and prepared to pass the time watching a movie.

But just as the film started, a pop-up window appeared, interrupting the screen. It was the live feed from the villa’s newly installed surveillance system.

Someone just climbed over the wall and slipped quietly into the courtyard.

The intruder moved with agility, carrying a metal canister that sloshed with liquid—likely oil. The intent was clear.

Ye Qiu’s eyes narrowed, a cold light flashing beneath his lashes.

He suspected that the last fire wasn’t an accident. That’s why he installed these hidden cameras in the first place. And now, finally, the truth had surfaced.

Without hesitation, he stood up from his desk and crept toward the exit.

But just as he slipped outside, the intruder, seemingly alerted by some sixth sense, turned and sprinted away. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the shadows.

—

Elsewhere, Wang Haoran was still basking in the subtle pleasure of stirring tension among the women around him when his phone vibrated in his pocket. With a calm glance, he skimmed the screen and immediately put on a mild expression.

“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” he said, his voice casual, as he stood up and slipped away from the others’ line of sight.

Once alone, he entered the bathroom and quickly dialed Bu Feiyan’s number.

“I tried to start a fire just now, but he caught on. I really didn’t expect Ye Qiu to be that sharp,” Bu Feiyan said without preamble, her voice tinged with a mix of irritation and surprise. “I underestimated him.”

“Of course he’s sharp. He used to be an international assassin,” Wang Haoran replied, completely unfazed.

That gave Bu Feiyan pause. “An assassin? His name is Ye Qiu… wait. Could it be the retired hitman, ‘Autumn Leaf’?”

“You’ve heard of him?” Wang Haoran asked.

“Never worked with him, but in our line of work, his name’s legendary. That guy was terrifying in his prime—perfect mission completion rate, same as me,” she said, a trace of admiration in her tone. Then her voice shifted back to business. “So, what now? Should I keep tailing him?”

“No need,” Wang Haoran said, already shifting strategy in his mind. “He’s been spooked. No point in keeping up the surveillance. Instead, start digging into his past. I want evidence that is enough to bury him.”

Though Ye Qiu now lived the quiet life of a landlord, the path he walked to get here had been steeped in blood. No one survived that world without leaving behind a trail of sins too dark to face the sun. If those were ever dragged into the light, they wouldn’t just stain his name—they’d be enough to bury him entirely.

“Understood.” Bu Feiyan accepted the task without hesitation.

She had walked the same shadowed paths, breathed the same blood-scented air. The underworld of assassins was a world she knew intimately, its secrets etched into every connection she had. If there was anyone who could dig up the skeletons buried behind the name Autumn Leaf, it was her—and she would do it without leaving a trace.

The hard part would be taking him down once the evidence was in hand, but that would be Wang Haoran’s concern. All she had to do was deliver the ammunition.

Once the call ended, Wang Haoran left the bathroom, only to run into Feng Xuansu heading straight toward him.

“You’ve been to the restroom a lot lately,” she said, eyeing him with suspicion. Her gaze swept the hallway behind him, finding no one else. She lowered her voice and asked gently, “Is your body feeling alright?”

Though her words were tactful, Wang Haoran knew exactly what she was getting at.

He used the same excuse earlier in the day when they were at Yan Yuntian’s place, ducking out repeatedly under the guise of a sudden urge. Now he was doing it again at night. It didn’t look great.

“My body’s fine. I’m perfectly healthy,” he replied with a helpless chuckle. “Nothing’s wrong with me.”

“If there really is something bothering you, you should go see Bian Suwen—she’s Luo Qingqian’s third sister. A renowned Divine Doctor. And they live nearby,” Feng Xuansu suggested, clearly still unconvinced.

“I’m telling you, I’m fine,” Wang Haoran insisted.

“It’s no good hiding an illness out of pride,” she pressed, concern etched across her face. “Ignoring it just makes things worse later.”

Her nagging was part genuine worry, part possessive care—after all, this man was her husband. She couldn’t help herself.

Wang Haoran felt a headache coming on. He simply shook his head and walked off without arguing further.

Back in the living room, Feng Anna was opening the door to greet a guest.

“I missed you, so I came to see you. But why are there so many people here?” Qiu Qianwei’s voice drifted in, surprised as her eyes swept across the unfamiliar faces.

So when she saw Wang Haoran, she immediately asked him for an explanation.

Feng Anna stiffened, her heart lurching with sudden panic.

Did she make a mistake by letting this woman in?

But Wang Haoran didn’t scold her—or rather, it wasn’t convenient for him to do so just now.

“They’re friends of mine—and also tenants,” he said to Qiu Qianwei with a casual smile.

“Oh,” she replied simply, her surprise fading.

With so many women around, her doubts quickly vanished.

If there were only one woman here, she might have been suspicious. But three? Come on.

She didn’t believe for a second that one man could hide three mistresses in the same villa.

Besides, each of these women was stunning and clearly had high standards. It wasn’t possible they’d all fall for the same man—especially hers.

Feng Xuansu previously visited Liu Yue’s villa and already knew about Qiu Qianwei. She was aware of the girl’s relationship with Wang Haoran, so her appearance now wasn’t a shock.

Ning Aoxue, on the other hand, was caught off guard.

“Now you see?” Feng Xuansu leaned close to Ning Aoxue, speaking just loud enough for her to hear. “You should stop while you’re ahead. Don’t ruin someone else’s relationship.”

Ning Aoxue stared in silence for a moment, then slowly turned to Feng Xuansu with a calm but pointed reply.

“Then what about you? You knew he had a girlfriend, and still you came running to him?”

“I’m different. I’m…” Feng Xuansu bit her tongue. She almost said it aloud—but in the end, she swallowed the words and changed course. “I’m willing to be the other woman. I don’t mind. But you, Ning Aoxue… you’re the proud heiress of the Ning Clan from Cangzhou.”

“What a coincidence,” Ning Aoxue cut in, her voice even and unflinching. “I don’t mind either.”

Born and raised in the reclusive martial world, she had seen more than her fair share of polygamous relationships. Three wives, four concubines—it was nothing unusual. She had never considered such things shameful.

More importantly, she asked herself: among all the so-called young geniuses of the martial world, who besides Wang Haoran was truly worthy of her?

—

Back in his own villa, Ye Qiu had returned after failing to catch the intruder.

He sat in silence, thoughts turning over and over in his mind.

When the old house was demolished, he already sensed something was off. So many homes were inspected, and yet only his supposedly failed the safety check.

His newly purchased home was set on fire once… and tonight, someone tried again.

Someone was targeting him. He had no shortage of enemies, that much was certain.

But after retirement, he returned to the country in complete secrecy. No one from his old life should’ve known where he was.

That meant this enemy wasn’t from the past.

It was someone new. Someone he had crossed paths with after returning.

“Could it be… that spoiled second-generation rich brat?” he muttered to himself.

His mind raced through the people he had met since coming back, and it didn’t take long for him to zero in on a likely suspect.