Shen You’an lowered her gaze nonchalantly, taking a sip of tea at a leisurely pace.
She effortlessly portrayed the image of a reserved, silent bodyguard to perfection.
However, the two pairs of eyes opposite her frequently lingered on her, subtly probing.
One was a renowned detective, astute and perceptive.
The other, a gold-dal lawyer, eloquent and ticulous.
For the average person, this situation would be unbearably unnerving.
Shen You’an sensed that her excessive composure was beginning to arouse suspicion in the two, but she remained indifferent.
She ate and drank as she pleased—it was their business to be suspicious. Let them try and uncover her secrets if they dared.
A knock on the door was followed by four servers dressed in qipaos, pushing dining carts to the table and serving each person a dish of crab with huangjiu.
Stead fresh crab, prepared using the simplest cooking thod, maximized the aromatic freshness and sweetness of the crab, with tender at and roe as smooth as jade.
The huangjiu had been chilled in an ice bucket before being poured into small cups, its amber color crystal-clear, the fragrance intoxicating.
Eating a mouthful of delicate crab at, paired with a sip of chilled huangjiu, elicited a collision of flavors so exquisite it brought an unparalleled sense of euphoria—a true delight of life.
Even Helian Yi, who was typically picky about food, couldn’t help but offer praise.
"I’ve long heard that Spring City’s crab with huangjiu is unparalleled—I regret not encountering it sooner."
"As the saying goes, when the autumn wind rises, the crab legs fatten. The period around Mid-Autumn Festival is when fresh crab tastes its best. Huichang Building will launch its signature crab king dish then, and the taste is unforgettable. I’ll host next ti—don’t decline my invitation."
Feng Yueyang rambled enthusiastically.
Helian Yi raised her brow, her gaze unconsciously drawn to the silent black-clad figure.
Her movents were unhurried yet fluidly graceful, prompting admiration—how could soone eat crab so...
Helian Yi searched her mind for a fitting adjective but couldn’t settle on one.
If forced to choose, maybe "elegant" sufficed.
Most people eating crab would be clumsy, lacking refinent.
But she was poised, efficient, suprely elegant. Paired with a sip of huangjiu, she exuded a carefree charm akin to poetic revelry.
Helian Yi thought, if she started a mukbang channel, she’d surely beco an instant star.
Realizing her attention toward Shen You’an had been excessive, Helian Yi lowered her head to eat her crab, only to discover it had gone cold.
The texture had lost so freshness and tenderness, she mused as she chewed.
This simply wouldn’t do.
~
When parting ways, Feng Yueyang and Helian Yi exchanged WeChat contacts and scheduled their next eting.
The black-clad bodyguard yawned, lazily settling into the passenger seat of a sports car.
Not until the blue supercar sped away like a bolt of blue lightning did Helian Yi withdraw her gaze and glance at Xiang Chenyan beside her.
"You seem unusually focused on that bodyguard—is there sothing suspicious about her?"
Xiang Chenyan shook her head, furrowing her brow. "Maybe I’m overthinking it."
With those words, she started the car and drove onto the mountain road.
At that mont, Helian Yi’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
Xiang Chenyan shot him a glance, catching the faint smile lingering at the corner of his lips.
"Got news?"
Helian Yi typed on his phone while responding calmly, "A junior colleague of mine just opened an entertainnt company and hired my law firm as their legal consultant."
Xiang Chenyan lightly tapped the steering wheel with her fingers. "Isn’t having a star lawyer provide legal services to an entertainnt company a bit of a waste of talent?"
Helian Yi didn’t even look up. "This junior helped once—I naturally repay those within my capacity."
Xiang Chenyan let out a scoffing noise, laden with irony.
~
"Boss, do you not like Lawyer Helian and Captain Xiang?"
On their car ride back, Feng Yueyang hesitated before finally asking aloud.
"Do you think my opinion of them matters?"
Feng Yueyang mulled it over. "Not really."
"To them, I’m just a lowly bodyguard. Focusing on my own role saves a lot of trouble. Drive attentively."
"Alright." Feng Yueyang quieted down obediently.
After a pause, he couldn’t help but ask again, "Boss, will you always stay by my side?"
"Am I your dad or your mom?"
Rendered speechless, Feng Yueyang stamred after a long silence, "I could call you godfather."
"Sorry, I’m not interested in raising sons."
After a pause, Shen You’an coolly added, "Once I leave, Chong Ming will stay behind to ensure your safety. Don’t think the downfall of the Xie family ans you can rest easy. Your position remains fraught with danger—watch yourself in the future."
Feng Yueyang tightened his grip on the steering wheel, feeling a pang of disappointnt.
"Boss, what should I do if I miss you?"
Shen You’an took a deep breath and exhaled a single word through her thin lips: "Scram."
~
Zhao Heng and his senior finalized the eting schedule, prompting Zhao Heng to leap in joy.
With the strongest legal team by his side, he’d now dominate the entertainnt industry.
Feeling imnsely foresighted, he was sure his boss would praise him.
Brimming with self-satisfaction, Zhao Heng took a sip of coffee from his assistant and prepared to review new projects submitted by various departnts to cool off. Just then, his phone rang.
Seeing the unfamiliar number, Zhao Heng answered the call.
A young woman’s voice sounded through the receiver.
"Is this President Zhao of Other Shore Entertainnt?"
The voice was gentle, as crisp and fresh as a breeze, tinged with faint nervousness and unease.
Zhao Heng raised his brow, adopting a businesslike tone. "This is Zhao Heng of Other Shore Entertainnt. May I ask who’s speaking?"
"My na is Qi Baotan." The girl’s speech was fast but precise.
Hearing the na, Zhao Heng unconsciously sat upright.
"Miss Qi, hello. May I ask what you need?"
Qi Baotan gripped her phone tightly, biting her lip. "I... I..."
The person on the other end seed to sense her hesitation and discomfort, his voice soothing with an undertone of reassurance.
"Where are you now?"
Qi Baotan raised her head to look at the large sign above her: "Other Shore Entertainnt."
~
Five minutes later, Zhao Heng watched a young girl walk into his office, unable to resist sighing.
"Beauty that rivals the ages, a true feast for the eyes."
The girl before him was modestly dressed, her expression tinged with uncertainty, yet she exuded an unadorned purity and freshness.
It seed that no matter how lavish the adjectives used to describe her, they felt perfectly apt.
"President Zhao." Qi Baotan’s gaze was sincere and earnest.
"I wanted to personally thank you."
Zhao Heng knew why she was expressing gratitude, though both tacitly avoided ntioning it.
Still, he was puzzled as to how the boss had managed to awaken her.
Perhaps the boss could achieve anything.
"Sit." Zhao Heng gestured to the single chair opposite him.
Qi Baotan hesitantly took her seat.
Zhao Heng placed an internal call, and shortly after, his assistant entered with a docunt, leaving discreetly.
Pushing the docunt toward Qi Baotan, Zhao Heng said, "Miss Qi, you’ve terminated your contract with Star Entertainnt and signed with Other Shore Entertainnt."
Qi Baotan abruptly looked up, her clear eyes brimming with shock.
"You may review this contract first. Although our company isn’t well-known, we are not like Star Entertainnt—an industry scourge exploiting artists with harsh contracts. Our company operates humanely, offering profit-sharing sches at the highest standards within the industry and granting artists maximal freedom."
"As for terminating your contract with Star Entertainnt, there’s no need to worry. Our company will handle everything, freeing you from concerns. All you need to do is focus on yourself, and the company will support you in achieving your dreams."
Tears welled in Qi Baotan’s eyes as they sparkled with gratitude. She could hardly believe she’d finally reached a turning point in her life.
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