Chapter Nineteen: Beware of Him Taking Advantage of You (Please Add to Favorites)

In truth, Ye Qian’s mind was in turmoil, tangled and confused. The more she sought revenge, the more she came to understand Long Fei, and this deepening understanding left her increasingly perplexed. Long Fei no longer seemed like that country bumpkin from yesterday; instead, he appeared to be a man of mystery, someone with a story, someone worthy of respect.

Her impression of Long Fei had shifted ever so slightly, yet this did not mean she was ready to let him go. Ye Qian was not the type to give up until her goal was achieved. Even if she didn’t drive Long Fei away, she was determined to get back at him—after all, he was always violating her boundaries.

The car had only gone a short distance before a yellow Mercedes sped up alongside them, keeping pace with Long Fei’s vehicle. Wu Zhaoming insisted on treating Long Fei to lunch, and Long Fei was indifferent—he had already accepted he wouldn’t be heading home before nightfall, so a meal was inevitable.

The three of them parked their cars outside a restaurant on Changle Road. The sight of two luxury sports cars drew the eyes of many passersby, but Wu Zhaoming and Ye Qian, accustomed to such attention, entered the restaurant without a second thought.

Long Fei glanced at the sign: Aegean Sea Greek Restaurant.

The hostess at the door welcomed them politely. The Aegean restaurant, decorated primarily in blue and white, was complemented by lush greenery. Sunlight filtered through the glass skylights, mingling with the fresh scent of foliage drifting in on the breeze. As the notes of Greek music played, Long Fei almost felt as if he were truly on the distant shores of the Aegean.

They sat in white wooden chairs with wicker seats that were surprisingly comfortable. Ye Qian had expected Long Fei to feel out of place in such an upscale setting, but he remained composed and at ease, disappointing her hopes of seeing him flustered.

When the menus arrived, Wu Zhaoming, following the principle of “ladies first,” handed the menu to Ye Qian with a smile. Instead, she passed it to Long Fei. Sometimes, the discerning can glean much from the simplest of gestures.

Ye Qian was both resentful and curious about Long Fei, so she seized every opportunity to observe him.

Long Fei, unbothered, ordered the house specialty, moussaka—a classic European dish made with layers of potato, tomato-sauced minced meat forming its heart. He ordered in fluent English, which surprised Ye Qian, then handed the menu back to Wu Zhaoming, who also ordered moussaka. When it was Ye Qian’s turn, she chose a cheese and tomato semolina cake and added a Greek yogurt.

While they waited for their food, Wu Zhaoming fixed Long Fei with an earnest gaze. “When are you going to teach me to drive?”

Ye Qian nearly spat out her tea. This was too much! Was the car god of Hong Kong really asking his own bodyguard for driving lessons? If Wu Zhaoming didn’t know how to drive, then no one in the world did.

“What are you talking about? You want to learn to drive from him?” Ye Qian stared in disbelief.

Wu Zhaoming, seeing Long Fei’s lack of reaction, muttered, “Out of three people, one can always be my teacher. Is it so funny that I want to learn driving from him?”

“But he’s just our bodyguard. How could he possibly drive better than you?” Ye Qian almost laughed, feeling both astonished and a little pleased. No matter what, it was flattering to see Wu Zhaoming seek Long Fei’s advice.

“I’ve never beaten him,” Wu Zhaoming said, a little dejected.

“That was just a fluke today,” Ye Qian replied sympathetically. She believed Long Fei’s victory was entirely due to her car. “If it weren’t for my car, do you really think he’d outrun you?”

Wu Zhaoming ignored her, knowing it was pointless to argue. He stared intently at Long Fei, waiting for his answer.

“Why are you looking at me? Didn’t you hear her? I’m just her bodyguard now—whether I have free time or not is up to Miss Ye. Isn’t that right, Miss Ye?” Long Fei said with a playful grin.

Ye Qian knew he was just trying to humor her, but she couldn’t help but feel pleased. She nodded. “Of course.”

“But you promised to teach me!” Wu Zhaoming protested anxiously.

Long Fei finally smiled. “I’m just teasing you. Don’t worry, when I have time in Hong Kong, I’ll find you. But let’s be clear: you’ll cover my expenses—food, lodging, entertainment. And by the way, are there any pretty girls in Hong Kong? You’ll have to introduce me to a few.”

Shameless. A classic womanizer—never missing an opportunity.

Ye Qian shot Long Fei a glare. If not for the crowded restaurant, she’d have taken off her shoe and given him a good beating. There’s a limit to shamelessness, after all!

Wu Zhaoming, however, nodded enthusiastically, agreeing to everything. Not only would he cover the expenses and find pretty girls, but if Long Fei really could teach him, he’d pay top dollar to have the hottest stars in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry spend the night with Long Fei. These days, as long as one has money, anything is possible.

Long Fei laughed, utterly unrestrained, his demeanor bordering on roguish, completely unconcerned about appearances. Ye Qian’s brows arched in anger. Many diners were already drawn to the striking woman in red, and seeing Long Fei laugh so indecently, they all wished they could slap him for good measure.

In the afternoon, Wu Zhaoming wanted to go shopping with Long Fei but was firmly sent away. Wu Zhaoming just wanted to curry favor or perhaps help him carry things and pay the bills, but Long Fei found the idea of shopping with another man distasteful. Even though he and Ye Qian were at odds, her fiery temperament matched her scarlet attire, but she was still mindful of her image on the street. Long Fei knew she wouldn’t make a scene in public.

To his surprise, Ye Qian proved a formidable shopper. Whether she meant to torment Long Fei or not, she dragged him around all afternoon, not buying a single thing, not even a fifty-cent lollipop, yet seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself.

Long Fei, inwardly cursing her as he marveled at her shopping stamina, kept silent. He knew Ye Qian too well: if he showed the slightest sign of distress, she would only feel more triumphant and prolong his suffering.

Ye Qian, for her part, was eager to hear him complain. But though she laughed cheerfully, deep down she was uneasy. Truth be told, she didn’t really enjoy shopping—her fiery nature was ill-suited to it. The only reason she persevered was to torment Long Fei; in the end, she didn’t get what she wanted, and both of them were left frustrated.

Long Fei wasn’t completely passive. At one point, he innocently suggested they browse the lingerie section, a jab at Ye Qian’s pride. What was the point of a girl with no curves shopping for lingerie? “Madam, do you have anything in the smallest size? A size ten, perhaps?”

How humiliating.

Ye Qian nursed her grievances, plotting how best to make Long Fei suffer that evening. She even called Li Yan while sneaking off to the restroom, and the latter, naturally, was happy to oblige.

As dusk fell, the city lights of Shanghai flickered to life. Under Ye Qian’s guidance, Long Fei drove her to Li Yan’s birthday party.

Li Yan was Ye Qian’s classmate at Jiaotong University, the class monitor, and the daughter of Li Zhengdong, chairman of Changfeng Group—one of Shanghai’s renowned entrepreneurs. His wealth was said to exceed a hundred million, not quite on par with the Ye family, but still a prominent figure in the city’s circles.

Yijing Gardens was a famous enclave for the wealthy, boasting both villas and luxury apartments. Whether it was because Long Fei was driving a Ferrari or because he had a beautiful young woman beside him, the security guard at the gate let them pass without registration.

They arrived smoothly at Li Yan’s villa. Long Fei was a bit surprised; he’d expected Ye Qian’s friend to be well-off, but hadn’t anticipated the presence of government officials.

Dozens of cars lined up outside the villa, filling every parking space—BMWs, Hondas, and other impressive vehicles, some with eye-catching license plates. Long Fei’s Ferrari didn’t look out of place at all.

As they stepped out, a girl in a beautiful white evening dress hurried over. She was attractive, though not quite in Ye Qian’s league.

“Ye Qian, what took you so long!” Li Yan cried, grasping Ye Qian’s hand in mock reproach.

Clearly, Ye Qian and Li Yan were close; otherwise, with Ye Qian’s temperament, she would have kept her distance.

Pointing to Long Fei, Li Yan smiled. “You must be Ye Qian’s bodyguard, Long Fei! Welcome to my birthday party!”

Long Fei was about to shake her hand when Ye Qian slapped it away and shot him a glare. “Li Yan, don’t shake hands with him—be careful, he’ll take advantage of you!”

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