Chapter 19 Chapter 018: Professional Ethics

Li Ruo wore the company uniform: a deep blue blazer and a skirt that reached her knees. Her beautiful black hair cascaded like a galaxy poured from the heavens, framing her delicate crescent brows and eyes as cold as ice. Her petite nose and rosy cheeks were as flawless as jade, and her lips, lush and inviting, seemed ready to bloom. Her unadorned face gleamed like polished stone, and her snowy skin was as fine as silk, without the slightest blemish. Her figure was full and graceful, like a celestial maiden descended to earth.

The men stared, utterly entranced; even Ye Chen nearly succumbed to her charm. “Tsk, what a shame,” Ye Chen muttered inwardly. If only her eyes weren’t so cold—she had the perfect exterior, but lacked any warmth or passion. It was a flaw in her beauty, and Ye Chen couldn’t help but lament.

Li Ruo seemed to notice Ye Chen’s expression. She walked over, standing before him, and asked coldly, “Ye Chen, did you finish what I asked of you?”

“Oh, it’s done!” Ye Chen grinned.

“Done?” Li Ruo was momentarily surprised.

“Yeah!” Ye Chen pointed toward the portly woman changing behind the reception desk. “I handed all the money to Deputy Director Qian!”

“What?!” The portly woman, a deputy director responsible for overseeing the efficiency of the company’s administrative departments, turned to Ye Chen and asked, “What did you say you handed to me?”

She was so overweight that even dressing was a struggle, and the company uniform was a bit too small for her. Still, she made do, though after struggling behind the reception desk for ages, she hadn’t managed to pull it on properly. She stood up, holding her half-worn skirt, glanced at Li Ruo, and stammered awkwardly, “Li… President Li!”

“Deputy Director Qian, what are you doing?” Li Ruo stared at her in shock.

“Deputy Director Qian!” Ye Chen stepped forward with a sly smile. “Didn’t I just give you a bag of money?”

“Yeah!” Qian chuckled. “Thanks for that!”

“No need to thank me!” Ye Chen’s smile turned mischievous. “That money was recovered as material fees for the company, so please pass it on to President Li for me!”

Pfft…

The receptionist, innocent as ever, had already choked on her water once, and now she nearly burst out laughing again. So the money wasn’t Ye Chen’s at all? It was company funds? Ha ha… She covered her lips, hiding behind the desk, not daring to stand up lest President Li scold her for spoiling the company’s image.

In truth, she wasn’t the only one amused—nearly everyone present struggled to contain their laughter. Only the portly deputy director stood dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Lin Ziwen seemed to have already investigated the situation. She had just questioned several employees and now whispered quietly to Li Ruo.

Li Ruo listened, then burst into laughter—a smile so captivating it could topple cities and sink fish. The men present froze; this was the first time anyone had ever seen the legendary ice-cold beauty smile. In a year or more at the company, none of them had witnessed such a moment. Now, seeing it, they felt as if tears might well up. Good heavens, President Li smiled at last; they’d have to thank their ancestors.

“Tsk, she’s breathtaking when she smiles!” Ye Chen couldn’t help but sink into admiration.

“Deputy Director Qian, please hand the money over to the finance department!” Li Ruo quickly regained her icy composure, straightening her appearance and turning to Ye Chen. “Ye Chen, come to my office.”

The sound of her heels clicked away, and as Li Ruo entered the elevator, the dozens of people in the hall finally burst into laughter. Everyone dispersed except for the portly woman and the receptionist. Qian’s mouth twitched violently, and the stacks of cash she held tumbled to the floor.

“Deputy Director Qian, are you alright?” The receptionist waved a hand in front of her face.

---

“Ye Chen, you bastard! I’m not done with you!” The portly deputy director roared in frustration.

Ye Chen had already slipped away and darted into the elevator. By now, his name was blazing through Tianya Group—everyone knew who he was. This incident instantly distracted people from his past as a murder suspect. Deputy Director Qian was notorious: the company’s ruthless enforcer, overseeing discipline for the entire group. She was known as “the cold-faced fat lady,” and anyone who stepped out of line faced her wrath—if they were guilty.

“Did you hear? Ye Chen totally humiliated Deputy Director Qian!”

“Really?”

“Absolutely! It happened this morning in the lobby. What a pity I missed it!”

The rumor spread like wildfire throughout Tianya Group. Ye Chen, once wanted by the police for murder, was now a blazing star.

“Did you hear? Ye Chen got frisky with the former director!”

“Really?”

“Sure, happened this morning—rumor has it President Li caught them in the act!”

As the tale passed from mouth to mouth, it grew distorted, but Ye Chen had thick skin; otherwise, such rumors would have killed him with embarrassment.

In Li Ruo’s office, Lin Ziwen was tidying up papers and the desk. Ye Chen knocked and entered, seeing Li Ruo sitting on the sofa, sipping coffee and gazing out the window. Hearing the knock, she said, “Come in.”

“So, what do you need from me, President?” Ye Chen crept in, shifty-eyed, and his gaze unwittingly landed on Li Ruo’s legs—perfectly proportioned, neither too thin nor too full. As his eyes traveled upward, her sitting posture revealed a glimpse of her thighs, and Ye Chen couldn’t help but inhale sharply, afraid he might nosebleed right then.

“Scoundrel, what are you staring at?” Li Ruo snapped, hurriedly covering her skirt and turning sideways.

“No… I was just looking around!” Ye Chen protested.

“Hmph!” Li Ruo glared at him. “Sit.”

“Alright!” Ye Chen quickly sat opposite her, keeping a distance of over two meters between them. From here, Li Ruo’s allure was undeniable, though her cold face remained a flaw, making Ye Chen feel regret.

“So, why are you targeting Deputy Director Qian?” Li Ruo sipped her coffee.

“She targeted me first!” Ye Chen replied, annoyed.

“Then why hand the money to her? Were you just trying to humiliate her?” Li Ruo’s icy gaze locked onto Ye Chen’s.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, just joking around. She took it seriously!” Ye Chen shrugged. “It’s like, President Li, if I gave you a million and asked you to do a strip dance, would you agree?”

“Scoundrel! What nonsense!” Li Ruo’s cheeks flushed. The blush made her skin glow like a ripe apple, tempting anyone to take a bite. Ye Chen stared, stunned; if this girl ever let loose, she’d be pure trouble. Too bad she always wore that icy expression—it was a waste of God’s artistry.

---

“No… nothing!” Ye Chen shook his head quickly.

“You could have handed the money directly to finance. Why give it to Deputy Director Qian?” Li Ruo pressed.

“Alright, I’ll be honest with you.” Ye Chen shrugged. “I’m here to resign.”

“Why? You just passed the test!” Li Ruo was startled, setting down her coffee and looking at Ye Chen. “Your performance satisfied me. I’ve decided to hire you—why leave?”

Li Ruo actually admired Ye Chen. Unlike other bodyguards, he was not stiff or humorless. His actions and words showed he was well-suited to protect her. Now, with Ye Chen suddenly wanting to resign, she found herself nervous—though she didn’t know why. Perhaps it was because he’d risked his life to save her.

“I believe a person should have a conscience,” Ye Chen said sincerely, meeting her gaze. “As a bodyguard, I must be true to my conscience and professional ethics. I can take a bullet for you, stand up for you, but as my superior, you should be honest with me. That Golden Star Decoration Company is obviously a den of criminals, yet you didn’t tell me—you sent me into the snake’s pit. I think you violated your conscience and professional ethics. So, I’ve decided to leave.”

Li Ruo and Lin Ziwen exchanged glances. Lin Ziwen immediately understood, and hurried to brew Ye Chen a cup of tea, handing it to him with a smile. “Mr. Ye, have some tea first.”

“Thank you, Assistant Lin!” Ye Chen grinned. “If I could marry someone as considerate as you, I’d be happy for life!”

Ahem…

Li Ruo coughed. Lin Ziwen, blushing, replied quickly, “Mr. Ye, you’re such a joker. Actually, President Li didn’t mean any harm. After all, you’re a bodyguard—you should be able to adapt on the spot. The people at Golden Star might have some skills, but they weren’t a real threat to you, were they?”

“Exactly!” Li Ruo nodded, gratefully looking at Lin Ziwen. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Was it because she was too high up to understand those below? Li Ruo continued, “So, I hope you’ll stay.”

Ye Chen glanced at his watch. Damn, it was almost nine—he had to hurry to the police station. He stood up abruptly. “Let me think about it. I’ll be off now!”

With that, he left without any polite formalities, leaving Li Ruo and Lin Ziwen stunned.

“Scoundrel! Not a real man—he makes me so mad!” Li Ruo grabbed a cushion and hurled it at the sofa. Lin Ziwen sighed helplessly; Ye Chen was a bit much. He could have left President Li with some hope, but instead he cut off her daydreams completely. His “consideration” was just an excuse—the urgency with which he left made that clear.

“President Li, maybe let it go,” Lin Ziwen said. “At worst, we’ll recruit again. It’s just a bodyguard.”

“Ziwen, you don’t understand!” Li Ruo stood, regretful. “At first, I didn’t think much of him, but after the shooting at the south gate and this reimbursement incident, I realized he’s different. Only he is truly fit to be my personal bodyguard!”

Some things aren’t cherished until they’re gone. When recruiting, Li Ruo didn’t value Ye Chen; now, she felt reluctant to let him go. Of course, it was just regret over losing talent. If Lin Ziwen left, Li Ruo would be heartbroken.

Still, Li Ruo quickly regained her composure. After all, it was only a bodyguard. In this world, anyone’s absence makes no difference; the earth keeps spinning regardless.

Ye Chen, unaware of their thoughts, floored the accelerator on his little Alto, racing madly toward the police station. Black smoke poured from the car, sending passersby fleeing, covering their noses.

On the roadside, two traffic officers saw this and waved to stop him, but he only sped up. The officers quickly mounted their patrol motorcycles, sirens blaring, and gave chase.

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