Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The name set off alarm bells in Xiao Luo’s head.
Chu Yunxiong was one of Jiangcheng’s most prominent business tycoons. He started the company from scratch and slogged away for 20 years, establishing Chongshan House in the process. He now owned half the restaurants in Jiangcheng as well as outlets in hundreds of cities nationwide. He had indeed built a food and beverage empire.
Perplexed and doubtful, Xiao Luo hadn’t the faintest idea when or how he became intertwined with Chu Yunxiong.
“Mr. Xiao, Mr. Chu is waiting for you!” chuckled Ge Zhongtian.
Looking in the direction in which Ge Zhongtian was pointing, Xiao Luo’s eyes landed on a black Rolls Royce parked at the side of the road.
Since Mr. Chu had posted bail for him, Xiao Luo had to give him face. Besides, he also wanted to know why Chu Yunxiong was helping him.
After saying goodbye to Ge Zhongtian, Xiao Luo walked toward the Rolls and glanced at the back seat. What he saw got his attention! He gasped in surprise. “It’s you?”
It wasn’t just anyone. It was the middle-aged guy he had eaten with last night.
Because it was so dark, and there was some distance between them, Xiao Luo didn’t realize that the middle-aged man was Chu Yunxiong. Moreover, it never occurred to him that someone of such stature would be eating at a street food stall just like him.
Dressed in a chic suit, and sitting calm and collected on the black leather seat, Chu Yunxiong was full of vigor, despite the ample streaks of white in his hair. He chirped to Xiao Luo, “Get in, young man! Let’s talk!”
Though his smile was kind and warm, his comportment exuded dignity and grace.
Xiao Luo realized this was a rare opportunity, so he opened the door and got in the car.
“Team Leader Gu, that car seems to belong to Chu Yunxiong, the boss of Chongshan House.”
On the second floor of the police station, Officer Xiao Wang was watching the departing Rolls Royce in astonishment. “Who is this Xiao Luo, really? He got Chu Yunxiong to post bail for him?”
Gu Qianlin was equally astounded: One was a tycoon at the top of the food chain; the other, a little nobody at the bottom. There wouldn’t have been an intersection between the two of them–or would there? What what was up with that?
Like Xiao Luo last night, she didn’t recognize Chu Yunxiong and took him to be a passer-by.
She was now very interested in Xiao Luo and determined to resolve all the mysteries surrounding him, eventually.
******
Ten minutes later, the Rolls Royce pulled up in front of a café next to the mall. They walked past the gigantic water fountain, into the café.
“Boss!”
The service staff and the manager were lined in two rows, respectfully welcoming Chu Yunxiong’s arrival.
Xiao Luo surmised that this café had either already been booked or was perhaps owned by Chu Yunxiong.
The two of them settled at a secluded corner on the second floor. The room was surrounded by large potted plants and was incredibly serene and peaceful. Meanwhile, Chu Yunxiong’s two bodyguards, Leng Zuo and Leng You, remained alert and watchful of the surroundings.
“You must be hungry after spending the night at the police station,” said Chu Yunxiong, with a smile on his face.
” Well, a little!” Xiao Luo replied modestly with wide eyes.
With a snap of Chu Yunxiong’s fingers, the waitstaff began serving them plates of rolls, desserts, congee, corn soup, steak, and more. The table was soon filled with a mouth-watering assortment of aromatic dishes.
Xiao Luo was not all pretentious. He was indeed hungry, so he dug into the sumptuous spread.
Chu Yunxiong admired his enthusiasm. “It is, indeed, good to be young. You can eat whatever you want. But if old men like me satisfy our cravings on a whim, it would be detrimental to our health.”
He then leisurely took a sip of the corn soup.
“Mr. Chu, allow me to get to the point if I may. I don’t think you bailed me out just to treat me to breakfast.” Xiao Luo took a bite of the roll and spoke as he chewed.
“Haha...okay, you are indeed a straight shooter!”
Chu Yunxiong had a feeling that they would get along well. With a wave of his hand, he summoned Leng You, who brought him a copy of a contract and placed it in front of Xiao Luo.
“What’s this?” Xiao Luo was mildly alarmed.
“Last night, I watched how you dealt with those gangsters and hooligans. You were not merely courageous. You were also a highly-skilled fighter. You single-handedly took down more than 20 heavily armed thugs. I have nothing but admiration for you. Hence, I’d like to hire you to protect someone for three months. You will be paid two million for your trouble.”
Two million to protect a person for three months?
No matter how composed Xiao Luo was, it still took him a while to fully absorb what he had just heard. He scrutinized the contract; it spelled out the agreement clearly in black and white, proving that Chu Yunxiong meant every word he had just said.
“Protect who?”
“My daughter.”
“Your daughter?”
Xiao Luo looked up in bewilderment. “Mr. Chu, you have too high an opinion of me. Are you sure you want to entrust your daughter’s safety to someone you’ve known less than a day?”
“I wouldn’t be hiring you if I doubted your abilities. You managed to save a kid who was wholly unrelated to you. I have faith in your character and capabilities.” Naturally, he had already conducted a background check on Xiao Luo.
“Even so, why don’t you have them to do it?”
Xiao Luo gestured at Leng Zuo and Leng You. “As professionally trained bodyguards, surely they’re better qualified than I am.”
Chu Yunxiong set down the glass in his hand, shaking his head. “It’s because they’re bodyguards. That’s why they’re not suitable.”
This puzzled Xiao Luo. Bodyguards specialize in protecting people; why would Chu Yunxiong say that they weren’t suitable?
“The problem lies with my daughter, Chu Yue. She doesn’t like being followed by bodyguards and would devise all sorts of tricks and methods to keep them away. This has caused me many a headache,” Chu Yunxiong let out a long sigh.
Xiao Luo nodded empathetically. A young lady born to a wealthy family would be used to getting her way.
He then asked, “Where does Mr. Chu’s daughter work?”
“She’s still a student, currently enrolled at Huaye University.”
“A student?”
This surprised Xiao Luo, but he managed to regain his composure quickly. “Mr. Chu wants me to act as a student to protect her in secret?”
“Exactly. Only by doing this would she not keep her guard up.”
Xiao Luo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I must tell you; I’m already 26 years old.”
He was implying that it was hardly appropriate for him to pass or act as a student.
“Age isn’t important. What matters is that you’re still very young, so no one on campus will suspect you.”
Chu Yunxiong laughed. “This is also the main reason I set my eyes on you. My bodyguards, no matter how skilled, would hardly pass as students...”
His words trailed off as he shook his head. It was clear what he was getting at, even if he hadn’t said another word.
Xiao Luo nodded in acknowledgment.
” Well, if you’re agreeable, shall we sign the contract now?” Chu Yunxiong was also a straight shooter.
“I have one last question.”
“Go ahead.”
” Why three months?” Xiao Luo asked.
Chu Yunxiong tapped the table lightly with his fingers. “I have confidence that I’d be able to make my competitor go out of business within three months. When that happens, he won’t have any extra resources to hire thugs to go after my daughter and me, and I would also be able to devote more time to keeping her company...”