Chapter 575: Lao Ba Takes the Bullet

Jiang Lin finally spoke up, but she specifically requested to see Lin Dongfan—unexpected, yet understandable. Jian Sining had no hesitation and immediately agreed to Jiang Lin's request, going out to make a phone call.

"Senior Brother, Jiang Lin's psychological defenses have collapsed; she agrees to talk. But she has a condition: she must speak with you in person, demanding we guarantee her son Qiao Xu's absolute safety."

On the other end of the phone, Lin Dongfan had just finished a meeting and was sitting in the car returning to the guesthouse.

Hearing this, he frowned: "Got it. Tell her I'll be there right away."

After hanging up, Lin Dongfan again instructed the driver Lao Ba, who was at the wheel: "Lao Ba, don't head back to the guesthouse first. Turn around, go to the women's detention center."

"Sure thing, Fan Ye!"

As Lin Dongfan's personal bodyguard and driver, Lao Ba is professional—his martial skill and driving have never disappointed Lin Dongfan.

Having gone through life-and-death together for so many years, the two are as close as brothers, far more than a simple employer-employee relationship.

They share everything, holding nothing back.

Lin Dongfan sat in the back seat, eyes closed, quietly pondering the interrogation strategy for later.

Lao Ba, as usual, loved to meddle in Lin Dongfan's private life, intentionally or not reminding him: "Fan Ye, yesterday I saw Jian Sining go for a prenatal checkup—did she tell you?"

!!!

Lin Dongfan's brows knit in surprise, as if silently asking, "Does this concern me?"

Lao Ba glanced at Lin Dongfan's philandering reaction through the rearview mirror, then said: "If you really want that child, I can sacrifice myself—marry Jian Sining in name only, a sham marriage. Then she can legitimately give birth to the child, and being married would also help her promotion."

"You don't want to get married anymore?" Lin Dongfan asked with a smile.

Lao Ba replied dismissively: "A sham marriage with Jian Sining wouldn't stop me from having fun outside."

"Give up that idea—Jian Sining won't want the child."

Lin Dongfan thought carefully, then added: "If you really want to sacrifice your first marriage, go marry Su Yuhong and divorce after a year."

Su Yuhong, a sunny-type beauty working in Wuzhou.

Before Fan Ye rose to prominence, that woman had once pursued him ardently, only to be intercepted by Chu Lingxi. Yet she has always been deeply devoted to Fan Ye, counting as a confidante and red‑lady in his life.

Lao Ba also holds her in high regard.

"Fine, I'll take responsibility for the second concubine's marriage certificate," Lao Ba replied cheerfully, easing the tension in the car considerably.

The car entered a relatively secluded side road leading to the suburban detention center.

Dusk was falling.

The streetlights hadn't fully come on yet, leaving the light somewhat dim.

Just as Lao Ba was about to overtake a slow-moving panel truck ahead, a sudden change occurred!

Bang!

A sharp gunshot shattered the evening calm, the left front tire burst instantly, the vehicle jerked off course and shook violently.

"Fan Ye, get down!"

Lao Ba, whose sense of danger is extremely strong, reacted swiftly, slamming the steering wheel with his right hand to try to control the vehicle.

Bang! Bang!

Two more gunshots rang out.

A frenzied off‑road vehicle pursued them, sandwiching them with the earlier panel truck; bullets struck the body and rear window glass, emitting a piercing impact sound!

Obviously, this was a premeditated ambush by the other side.

"Damn! They're cornered and lashing out!"

Lao Ba's eyes nearly popped out; relying on his solid skill, he gripped the wheel tightly to prevent a rollover. He knew stopping in the middle of the road would make him a sitting duck—he had to burst out quickly.

"Lao Ba, be careful!"

Lin Dongfan, seated in the back, lowered his head and took cover behind the driver's seat.

Although he had weathered many storms, when the bullets shattered the rear window Lin Dongfan panicked—bullets don't have eyes.

"It's fine! Fan Ye, hold on!"

Lao Ba shouted while flooring the accelerator, risking a rollover, he forced acceleration on three wheels to break through, trying to shake off the attackers.

However, he underestimated the enemy's strategy.

The panel truck ahead suddenly swung sideways, trying to block the road! Its side window rolled down simultaneously, revealing a dark gun barrel!

Shit!

Lao Ba cursed, realizing a head‑on charge wouldn't work.

He jerked the wheel hard right; the car roared onto the shoulder, snapping a small tree, narrowly avoiding the truck's blockade.

But at that very moment, perhaps due to the angle, or perhaps the glass limit was exceeded,

Bang!

A bullet pierced the edge of the driver's side window.

The glass shattered!

Ugh!

Lao Ba let out a low, pained grunt, a spray of blood erupting from his left shoulder blade.

The bullet's tremendous impact jerked his body, yet his right hand gripping the wheel swelled with veins, clutching tight without letting go.

"Lao Ba!"

Lin Dongfan shot up, just seeing Lao Ba's blood‑stained shoulder, anxiety flashing across his face.

"It's… nothing… Fan Ye… just a flesh wound…" Lao Ba's face had turned pale, yet he forced a grin uglier than a sob: "Damn… this marksmanship… isn't even as good as my hometown's bird‑hunting shotgun… trying to take down Eighth Master… still a bit off…"

He gritted his teeth, kept control of the out‑of‑control vehicle, using the roadside terrain for cover, and with his uninjured right hand drew his concealed martial pistol—a handgun.

He fired several shots at the relentless off‑road vehicle behind them.

This temporarily suppressed their pursuit.

"Hold on, Lao Ba!" Lin Dongfan quickly pulled out his phone, dialing emergency and rescue numbers while monitoring the enemy behind.

Under Lao Ba's desperate control, the battered government vehicle finally staggered out of the encirclement, flinging the attacking vehicles a distance away.

Lao Ba barely stopped the vehicle at a relatively safe corner.

The vehicle's body was still emitting green smoke.

"Fan... Fan-ye... are you alright?"

Lao Ba panted heavily, blood had soaked half his body, his voice much weaker, but his gaze remained vigilant as he swept his surroundings.

"I'm fine! Don't speak, conserve your strength! The ambulance is coming soon!"

Lin Dongfan looked at Lao Ba's deathly pale face and the blood continually gushing out, his heart blazing with fury! This was clearly an attempt to silence him; the other side had been driven to such extremes!

Lao Ba cracked a smile, still wanting to say something.

Yet he couldn't utter a word; his head lolled limp against the steering wheel, the horn pressed down, emitting a piercing wail.

"Lao Ba! Lao Ba!"

Lin Dongfan hastily got out of the car and flung open the front door; upon closer look he discovered that Lao Ba had been shot twice, once in the shoulder blade and once in the arm.

Lin Dongfan took the gun from Lao Ba's hand and turned to guard the rear approach.

He didn't know what was happening.

The other side didn't pursue.

After about ten or so minutes, the faint sound of an ambulance could be heard in the distance.

Lin Dongfan tightly gripped Lao Ba's gradually cooling hand, watching this brother who usually joked around but at critical moments used his body to shield him from bullets, feeling an indescribable emotion.

Fury!

Burning in Lin Dongfan's eyes.

Lin Dongfan tightly pressed on Lao Ba's wound that kept bleeding, shouting hoarsely: "Lao Ba! Wake up, don't sleep! Lao Ba! I won't let you sleep, you motherf***er, hear me? Don't sleep…"