Suppressing the Protagonist at the Start to Seize the Heroine

Zhao Tiande was looking at his daughter with a sense of nostalgia, realizing she had grown up so much that she was almost as tall as him even in flat shoes.

“Yanyan, how’s work going at the supermarket?” Zhao Tiande asked.

Surprised by her father’s sudden interest in her work, Zhao Yanyan put down her chopsticks and replied, “It’s going well. Why do you ask, Dad?”

“Do you know your boss almost got into a fight with Luo Sihai?” Zhao Tiande casually mentioned.

“A fight? How’s that possible?” Zhao Yanyan stood up, shocked.

Seeing her reaction, Zhao Tiande felt somewhat reassured. He had been both surprised and angry when he first heard about the incident, as Luo Sihai had dared to target his daughter’s workplace. After investigating, he realized the situation was quite complicated.

His nephew Lin Tian was also involved, along with Luo Sihai, Su Lin, and Su Zhenguo. With the railway line about to open, the whole situation in Donghai seemed entangled in a strange vortex, with his daughter on the periphery.

Originally, his first instinct was to ask Zhao Yanyan to quit her job and focus on dance, but seeing how satisfied she had been recently, he decided to bring up the matter subtly.

“Dad, what exactly happened in that ‘fight’?”

“It was Su Lin who led a group of workers to demand their wages. Guess who the owner of the supermarket under renovation opposite yours is?”

“Is it Lin Tian?” Zhao Yanyan asked uncertainly.

Zhao Tiande nodded, “Yes, he believes his father’s death is related to Su Zhenguo, so he’s trying to get back at Su Lin.”

“Wow… I had no idea all this was happening,” Zhao Yanyan was stunned.

“Do you think Su Lin will be in danger? Dad, can’t you help him?” she asked pleadingly.

Zhao Tiande internally cursed his luck, seeing his daughter’s heart had clearly flown to Su Lin. “Aren’t you concerned that Su Lin might actually be problematic?”

“What problems could he have? I’ve been with him almost every day recently. I know everything about him. How could he be a problem?”

“But what about the way they fought?”

Zhao Yanyan responded, “I know what you’re talking about. It’s the wage issue Su Lin helped with. I think those workers deserved to get their hard-earned money. He should be praised for helping.”

“But the way he did it, injuring people… and Lin Tian, I heard he’s been bedridden these past few days,” Zhao Tiande said angrily.

“He deserves it. If you can’t be a boss, don’t try to be one. All he does is play dirty tricks. The thugs we sent to the station were all called by Lin Tian,” Zhao Yanyan said angrily.

“Ah, Lin Tian has his good points, but his impulsiveness will ruin him.”

Zhao Tiande had looked into the feud between Su Lin and Lin Tian. Lin Tian was the aggressor, unable to match Su Lin in any way. Zhao Tiande didn’t know what to say.

As a police chief, he had principles, and he would have normally wanted to take legal action against Lin Tian. But considering Lin Yourong’s recent death, he felt sympathy for the first time.

Looking at Zhao Yanyan, he said, “Yanyan, Su Lin is not as simple as he appears. I think you should quit your job and continue dancing, don’t you think?”

Zhao Yanyan shook her head vehemently, “No, not at all. I know Su Lin isn’t simple. If he were, could he have grown his business so large? Dad, it was Lin Tian who started this whole mess.”

“Why are you so protective of him? Just because his father died, should our family pay for his mistakes?”

“You… Yanyan, I’m concerned about your well-being. That Su Lin is a dangerous man. You’ve had limited interactions with men, and I’m worried you might be deceived by him. Do you understand what I mean?”

Zhao Yanyan felt a bitter sweetness in her heart. She knew very well that if Su Lin said some sweet words, she would definitely fall for him. Even though Su Lin made it clear that they could date but not marry, she was almost ready to compromise.

“Dad, you don’t understand Su Lin. He wouldn’t deceive me. In fact, he wouldn’t bother deceiving me,” Zhao Yanyan said with a bitter expression.

Zhao Tiande was taken aback by her response, recognizing the look of unrequited love. He then asked, “Do you like him?”

Zhao Yanyan hesitated before nodding, “Yes.”

“But as far as I know, Su Lin already has a girlfriend,” Zhao Tiande said with a complex look.

“I know.”

“And you still like him, even though there are plenty of other men in the world?” Zhao Tiande asked, frustrated.

“Feelings aren’t something I can control.”

Zhao Tiande sighed, “If that’s the case, you should leave Su Lin sooner rather than later. Make a clean break. Maybe you should quit your job.”

“No, I won’t! Liking him is one thing, and work is another,” Zhao Yanyan said firmly.

Zhao Tiande scoffed internally, knowing too well his daughter’s nature. If she wasn’t truly fond of Su Lin, she would have already resigned.

He contemplated whether to forcibly end Zhao Yanyan’s relationship with Su Lin but realized it would damage their father-daughter bond.

Seeing Zhao Yanyan’s determination, Zhao Tiande felt a headache coming on. Dealing with family matters seemed more challenging than handling complex cases.

Zhao Yanyan noticed her father’s dilemma and quickly said, “Dad, I’m an adult now, and I can handle this. Don’t worry.”

Zhao Tiande massaged his temples, “Alright, it’s your call. But remember, if things go south, don’t come crying to me.”

“How could I? Do I look like someone who cries easily?” Zhao Yanyan retorted with feigned arrogance.

Meanwhile, Su Lin was unaware of the family meeting between Zhao Yanyan and her father. He was busy driving Lin Xiaowan home.

Lin Xiaowan, covering her flushed face, expressed her worries, “Su Lin, do you think my parents will notice anything? My face is still so red.”

Su Lin glanced at her and reassured, “It’s not very noticeable. Just say you’re feeling hot.”

“Really? Will that work?” Lin Xiaowan asked skeptically.

Su Lin nodded confidently, “Trust me, just say you’re hot. It’s like when you’re flushed after running.”

“If it weren’t for you driving, I would have smacked you right now,” Lin Xiaowan said half-jokingly.

“Ahem, we’re here,” Su Lin quickly announced as they arrived.

Zhao Yanyan laughed at Su Lin’s demeanor, “You’re so fierce when you’re bullying others but now playing it safe?”

“A man needs to know when to be tough and when to back down,” Su Lin replied with a smile.

“Forget it, I won’t argue with you. Arguing with you would only make me more frustrated!” Lin Xiaowan exclaimed.