Chapter 28 Chapter 027: The Fox in the Sky Is So Beautiful

When he emerged from the changing room, his gaze immediately fell upon Li Ruo. The expressions that flitted across his face were truly something to behold—starting with a beaming smile, shifting to utter shock, then to deep frustration, and finally settling into a dark, somber look as he hunched his back, the very portrait of defeat. Li Ruo crossed her arms, a faint blush blooming on her fair cheeks, a sly glimmer in her eyes. All at once, she realized this little game had awakened the child within her. She couldn’t help but laugh to herself, thinking, This guy is actually quite amusing.

Off to the side, Lin Ziwen stifled her laughter behind a hand, having thought Ye Chen had narrowly escaped disaster, only to discover that in the end, there was truly no escape. As for Li Tieniu and the others, their faces were marked by utter astonishment. This fellow was as good as dead; his earlier impudence had left everyone stunned inside and out.

“Director Li… you wanted to see me?” Ye Chen hunched his shoulders in defeat. Damn it, he’d actually been bested by this girl.

“Why call me Director Li now? Weren’t you just calling me ‘that little girl’?” Li Ruo’s lips curled into a cold smile, her mouth lifting ever so slightly, which lent her a unique charm. Unfortunately, Ye Chen was in no mood to appreciate her beauty—by now, he was thoroughly beaten.

“No, no, I wasn’t talking about you just now!” Ye Chen shook his head quickly.

“Then who were you talking about?” Li Ruo fixed him with a frosty glare.

“I…” Ye Chen’s eyes landed on Lin Ziwen. Without missing a beat, he pointed at her. “Her! I was talking about her.”

He looked at Lin Ziwen with a pleading gaze, hoping she’d take the blame for him. But Lin Ziwen’s brows shot up in anger. This scoundrel! She hadn’t exposed him in the changing room, and now he wanted her to take the fall?

“Hmph, it doesn’t matter who you meant—you’re not getting away today!” Li Ruo glared at Ye Chen. “Come with me to my office!”

With that, she spun on her heel and left. Lin Ziwen shot Ye Chen a cold look, snorting, “Hurry up and follow!”

Inside the security office, the room buzzed with commotion as everyone looked at Ye Chen with sympathetic eyes, shaking their heads and sighing. Such a promising bodyguard, yet now he was either facing a demotion or outright dismissal. Being promoted to bodyguard was something every security officer envied.

“Brother, don’t blame Tieniu for not helping you out!” Li Tieniu patted Ye Chen’s shoulder. “It’s not that I didn’t want to, but Director Li is way too cunning!”

“That’s right, that girl’s as sly as a fox!” Ye Chen gritted his teeth.

“What did you say?” Li Ruo, who had just stepped out, turned back.

“Nothing…” Ye Chen shook his head quickly, glancing up at the ceiling. “I said the fox in the sky is beautiful!”

Pfft—

Lin Ziwen burst out laughing, clutching her stomach, while Li Ruo left in a huff, and Ye Chen hurried after her.

“What’s going on?” Li Cheng blinked his quick, beady eyes.

“Fatty, you have to help me this time!” Ye Chen rushed over, pulling out two hundred yuan. “Director Li caught me—if I don’t die, I’ll at least lose a layer of skin. Here, two hundred, just for you. Please say something on my behalf!”

“No, I can’t accept this!” Li Cheng shook his head. “You’ll have to handle this yourself. Whether you live or die, that’s up to fate.”

President’s Office.

Li Ruo took an angry gulp of coffee. That guy actually dared insult her in front of everyone—far too much! She wasn’t someone to be trifled with. In her fury, she almost wished she could tear Ye Chen to pieces.

Knock, knock, knock!

Ye Chen stepped inside. Li Ruo’s face was icy and forbidding, sending a chill down his spine. For heaven’s sake, he hadn’t assaulted her—was this glacial demeanor really necessary? Ye Chen advanced gingerly, fraught with anxiety.

“Mr. Ye, please have a seat,” Lin Ziwen said, adhering to her usual custom, and poured him a cup of tea.

“Thank you!” Ye Chen nodded quickly in gratitude.

“You’re welcome,” Lin Ziwen replied, her fondness for Ye Chen clear. He was a bit handsome, humorous, and clever—much more appealing than the likes of Li Tieniu, who blushed at the sight of women and was altogether too rigid.

“Director Li, what did you want to see me about?” Ye Chen looked up at her. Despite her ice-cold demeanor, her features and complexion were truly exquisite. One could never tire of looking at her, though she wasn’t exactly his type—too cold, and Ye Chen seriously suspected she suffered from some form of split personality. Otherwise, how could she be one person by night, and another by day?

“Hmph, was it you who injured Captain Cao?” Li Ruo snorted.

“He was the one making things difficult for me!” Ye Chen shrugged.

“But he’s your superior, and you broke his leg?” Li Ruo was unnerved.

“Well, he can only blame his lack of skill. If he can’t handle the job, then he shouldn’t be captain!” Ye Chen waved a hand dismissively. “A captain ought to be exceptionally capable and tough. Look at him—vindictive, petty, and lacking any real leadership. His skills aren’t half as good as mine; he’s not fit to be captain at all!”

Pfft—

Lin Ziwen was thoroughly impressed by Ye Chen’s quick tongue—he always managed to make people laugh. That was precisely why she appreciated him. As for men like Li Tieniu, so stiff and bashful before women, she wouldn’t even bother giving them a second glance.

“Scoundrel!” Li Ruo was fuming at Ye Chen’s words.

“I’m just telling the truth!” Ye Chen looked at her, and suddenly, all traces of fear vanished. Instead, he found himself intrigued by her double-sided personality.

Unable to stand it any longer, Lin Ziwen spoke up, smiling, “Mr. Ye, here’s the situation: next week there’s a property launch event. Originally, Captain Cao was supposed to lead the security detail for Director Li, given the board’s concerns about her safety following the factory shooting. They hired several new bodyguards, but none measured up, so only you remain. Now that Captain Cao has been hospitalized by you, there’s no one left to lead the team. Vice Captain Jin is out of the question—he’s utterly useless. He might handle city inspectors, but against armed criminals, he’d be hopeless. Captain material requires sharp observation and keen senses—not just eyes like a hawk, but the ears of a fox. During his year in the Golden Triangle, Ye Chen came to understand the true requirements of a captain—skills that ordinary soldiers simply didn’t possess.

“Hmph!” Seeing Ye Chen fall silent, Li Ruo grew even more agitated.

“Why don’t I take the lead?” Ye Chen suddenly grew solemn. He stood and declared, “Let me command the team and ensure the security of the event.”

“You? Are you up to it?” Li Ruo eyed him coldly.

“I can do it,” Ye Chen nodded. “Do you remember what I said during my interview? When you asked me how a bodyguard should react when their employer is in mortal danger, I said I would defend my duty with my life.”

His voice suddenly became deep and resonant, making both Li Ruo and Lin Ziwen’s hearts pound uncontrollably. When had this man ever been so serious? Wasn’t he always mischievous and full of jokes?

“Very well,” Li Ruo nodded. She chose to trust Ye Chen, based solely on his words and the look on his face at that moment. She decided to believe in him without hesitation, just as she had when she handed him the car keys on the mountain road that day. Now, she would entrust her life to him, hoping he would truly fulfill a bodyguard’s duty.

After the brief meeting, Ye Chen left Li Ruo’s office.

This time, the responsibility weighed heavily upon him. To Ye Chen, it was not just Li Ruo’s safety he was guarding, but the very essence of what it meant to be a bodyguard. A resolute conviction welled up inside him, as if he had experienced this feeling before. He shook his head, a strange sensation flickering through his mind, though he could not recall its origin. A surge of hot blood rose within him…

“Director Li, do you really think he can handle it?” Lin Ziwen asked curiously.

“At this point, we have no other choice,” Li Ruo sighed, massaging her temples. “Captain Cao will be out of commission for at least two months. So, we either pick Vice Captain Jin or Ye Chen. Which do you think is more reliable?”

“Ye Chen!” Lin Ziwen replied without hesitation.

“There you have it.” Li Ruo nodded. “I just hope nothing goes wrong at the event.”

“Alas, there will be a huge crowd at the launch. Even though the police will be on hand, I’m still worried those black-clad criminals will strike again,” Lin Ziwen sighed. “If someone hadn’t taken the bullet for you last time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

Recalling that chaotic day still sent chills down Lin Ziwen’s spine. The workers had panicked at the sound of gunfire, everyone fending for themselves. At moments like that, a bodyguard had to remain utterly calm amidst the chaos. The attackers had been ruthless, surrounding them in numbers. Only after sacrificing a bodyguard did the criminals flee, taking advantage of the confusion as the police arrived.

“Let’s just hope there’s no danger this time,” Li Ruo prayed quietly.

“There won’t be,” Lin Ziwen nodded firmly.

But would there really be none? Was it truly just a simple shooting behind all this?