Chapter Fifty-Two: The Hired Hand

As a comprehensive commercial plaza in HJ City, Universal Plaza offers not only a wide array of branded clothing, but also major home furnishing stores, jewelry boutiques, and luxury watch shops—everything one could desire.

Xue Xi seemed perfectly at home here. In her own words, a woman might not go shopping, but she must always know where her favorite stores are located. Clutching Chen Hongxu’s hand, she strolled from one end to the other, entirely indifferent to the dazzling clothing and jewelry shops nearby—her goal was clear: a double bed. She was determined; they would take one home today.

Suddenly, Chen Hongxu pulled Xue Xi to a halt, his face expressionless. “Wait!” he said.

Puzzled, Xue Xi turned to follow his gaze. Not far from them stood a man in a baseball cap and leather jacket, his face lit with a broad grin.

“Do you know him?” Xue Xi shook Chen Hongxu’s arm, her curiosity piqued.

“We go back a ways. I’ll have Bing Ling keep you company while you shop, I’ll be right back.” Chen Hongxu glanced at Xue Xi’s pouting lips, leaned in to kiss her, and with a mischievous smile, tousled her carefully styled hair. “Be good,” he teased.

With that, he exchanged a quick greeting with a woman in red who seemed to appear from thin air yet blended seamlessly with the crowd, then turned toward the waiting man.

Xue Xi was lost to her surroundings, her sense of time and place forgotten. She touched her still-moist lips with her fingertips, incredulous. “He kissed me,” she whispered in awe. “He actually kissed me in front of all these people…”

By now, Bing Ling had sidled up to her, exasperatedly fending off opportunistic passersby and occasionally kicking away those who got too bold. Two beautiful women standing alone without a chaperone attracted a relentless stream of suitors—men asking for phone numbers, invitations to dinner, one after another. But Xue Xi, basking in happiness, seemed oblivious to it all.

Helpless, Bing Ling slipped a toothpick from her lips into her hand and, without a word, jabbed a few of the persistent “flies.” Amid the resulting cries of pain, she grabbed the dreamy, love-struck Xue Xi and made a dash for safety.

Out of breath—though only pretending—Bing Ling dragged Xue Xi into a quieter corner. Women are all the same, after all; perhaps Bing Ling herself had her eye on something, hoping Xue Xi would buy it for her.

Xue Xi stared at Bing Ling, clutching her chest, breathless with excitement. “Sis, is this what love feels like? My heart’s beating so fast.”

Bing Ling burst out laughing. “We just ran—whose heart wouldn’t be racing?”

“That’s not it, you don’t understand!” Xue Xi shot her a look, biting her lip in bliss.

Bing Ling rolled her eyes, sighing inwardly at how easy Xue Xi was to please. Should she try her luck with a kiss as well? Would that new handbag she fancied be hers then?

Scheming a little, Bing Ling’s gaze kept returning to Xue Xi’s rosy lips.

Sensing something, Xue Xi clamped her mouth shut. “We have more important things to do. Let’s go buy a bed for Xu Xu first!”

Bing Ling slapped her forehead in mock defeat.

Meanwhile, in the very center of Times Square, the man in the baseball cap stood with Chen Hongxu, both watching the news broadcast on a giant screen—just two ordinary bystanders.

The man with Chen Hongxu was none other than Liu Yixian, the knife-wielding Northeasterner who had once sworn to sell his life to Chen Hongxu after surviving a brush with death. Staring at the scrolling news, Liu Yixian laughed at himself. “Only after seeing what you people are capable of did I realize how naïve I was. What we thought were earth-shattering matters are as trivial to you as eating or drinking. It’s laughable—dragging a bunch of brothers into this mess to trouble you.”

Chen Hongxu made no reply. Only when the broadcast ended did he turn his head slightly and ask, “So, does this all end with Gong?”

The news had just reported the director of HJ City’s Public Security Bureau being taken away for investigation by the provincial discipline commission.

Chen Hongxu knew little of Fan Caobao and the others’ actions; they never told him, and he never asked. That was how favors were best handled. If you pushed too hard, it would seem calculating. Besides, perhaps these matters were nothing to them, mere trifles unworthy of mention.

“It’s probably not over. Otherwise, Hu wouldn’t have sent his son abroad so quickly,” Liu Yixian replied uncertainly. There were many things beyond his reach.

“Hu Tianmiao has left the country?” Chen Hongxu frowned, puzzled. He was unaware that Fan Caobao had confronted Hu Tianmiao at the school, or of Secretary Hu’s anticipatory decision the previous night.

“He left this morning—flew to Hong Kong, then on to the States. Chen, do you want me to…?” Liu Yixian lowered his head, running a finger across his throat.

“If he’s gone, let him go. He’s not worth the trouble.”

“Understood.” Liu Yixian nodded.

“Can you really let the grudge go?” Chen Hongxu narrowed his eyes, fixing Liu Yixian with a stare. “As I understand it, Hu Tianmiao orchestrated all of this. Not to mention the indirect involvement of the Lan family…”

“I’ve already pledged my life to you. If you don’t say the word, I won’t act on my own and burden you with trouble.” Liu Yixian’s voice was hoarse.

“Your life is still your own. I don’t need it,” Chen Hongxu said, shaking his head.

“Business is business. If you don’t want it, I’ll return it.” Without hesitation, Liu Yixian whipped a knife from his belt and, eyes unblinking, made to stab himself in the throat.

Chen Hongxu’s expression didn’t change; he moved almost imperceptibly, quickly blocking the attack, pinching the blade between two fingers, and easily disarming Liu Yixian, slipping the knife into his own pocket. Liu Yixian, his eyes shut, continued the motion, his empty fist thudding into his throat, then broke into a fit of coughing.

“Just look after my girlfriend when I’m not around. And let me know if you hear anything,” Chen Hongxu said, turning to leave, leaving Liu Yixian standing there, coughing and bewildered.

Though Liu Yixian had once kidnapped him, Chen Hongxu bore no grudge. Everyone in this world has their own hardships. Since he hadn’t sought retribution then, he certainly wouldn’t now. As for Liu Yixian’s vow of loyalty, Chen Hongxu felt it unnecessary—he had no need for such gestures.

But a thought had struck him: what if he had to go on a mission—what would become of Xue Xi? The Xue family’s bodyguards might seem impressive to outsiders, but he knew it wasn’t enough. Even the fiercest tiger sometimes nods off. Those bodyguards were just highly paid fighters; loyalty aside, when the bullets flew, would they really risk their lives for Xue Xi without hesitation?

For these reasons, Chen Hongxu decided to test and perhaps train Liu Yixian, though it would take time—experience had left him wary of trusting others. Xue Xi was the most important person in his life; he could not entrust her to someone he did not trust.

Leaving Liu Yixian behind, Chen Hongxu felt at a loss, unsure where Xue Xi had wandered off to. Fortunately, Bing Ling was with her. After a brief exchange with Bing Ling in their minds, he strode purposefully toward the furniture mall.