Chapter Twenty-One: Will You Take Care of Me?

But at this moment, Yang Danni felt an urge to cry—a powerful impulse that nearly overwhelmed her. She had endured so much over the years, the pressure from her family often suffocating her to the point where she could barely breathe. Only in the arms of the man before her did she feel she could truly relax, sleep safely and peacefully. Yet even this thought felt like a luxury, a wish too distant to grasp.

Suddenly, Yang Danni smiled. “I told you, I’ll wait for you. I’ll keep waiting, no matter how long. You know that in our Yang family, we always mean what we say!”

“How’s your brother?” Long Fei felt it was better to steer the conversation elsewhere—otherwise, things would not end well for either of them.

Yang Danni took a sip of red wine, her scarlet lips looking especially alluring. She leaned a little closer to Long Fei, and a subtle fragrance drifted to him, familiar and intoxicating.

“He’s still always looking for someone to fight, but the last time I went home, he mentioned you. He’s never really admired anyone in his life, but he does respect you.”

Thinking of Yang Danni’s eldest brother, Long Fei couldn’t help but smile. That guy was something of an anomaly in Beijing—an absolute powerhouse in the martial arts world, yet he never bothered to form alliances. People called him foolish, but he was clever enough to keep his political stance neutral, always aligning with the Yang family. Call him smart, and yet when his temper flared, he’d take on anyone without hesitation. More frightening still, he was born for fighting—almost undefeated in all of Beijing.

Long Fei smiled, “Your brother truly is an interesting man. But, if not for that incident, I doubt I would have met him.”

“You mean when you saved me?” Yang Danni smiled gently. “More importantly, he couldn’t beat you, so he respected you.”

“Funny how things work between people. If it weren’t for that misunderstanding, your brother and I wouldn’t be friends. Wouldn’t you say? Isn’t that what they call ‘no fight, no friendship’?” Long Fei took a deep breath.

“Yes, exactly. By the way, how are you now? What brings you to Shanghai?” Suddenly, she was curious about how Long Fei came to be in such a place. Though she felt a surge of excitement and happiness at seeing him, Yang Danni couldn’t help but wonder. She wanted to know where he lived, what he did, just so she could find him again. Having finally run into him, she didn’t want to let go. She even wondered, if she’d been a bit bolder a year ago, maybe things would be completely different now.

“Oh, someone’s coming to see you!” Long Fei didn’t answer, but instead gave Yang Danni a mysterious smile and reminded her.

It was the man who had been chatting with Yang Danni earlier, approaching with a charming smile. From his designer attire, it was clear he wasn’t an ordinary person.

“Danni, is this your friend?” Xie Qingquan greeted Yang Danni with a gentleman’s smile.

Yang Danni’s expression soured. The carefully crafted smile she wore earlier vanished, replaced by uncertainty, as if Long Fei’s presence had thrown her off balance. She answered coldly, “He’s my—he’s my friend, a very good friend.”

Long Fei found her words pleasing; he knew Yang Danni’s little schemes, but he wouldn’t stop her. After all, women sometimes liked to play these clever little games. But Xie Qingquan didn’t take her words so well; his smile grew more forced.

“Oh, may I sit here?” Xie Qingquan was reluctant to leave. As the general manager of Putian Real Estate in Shanghai, he’d risen in the city’s business circles not because of his father Xie Donghai’s protection, but through his own merit—a Harvard Business School graduate who, in just three years, tripled the assets of a previously second-rate company.

Thanks to this, half a year ago he caught the attention of Yang Danni’s news talk show team. After a special interview, he was captivated by her charm, just like all the handsome, talented men who pursued her. He tried every trick in the book, but the outcome was no different from anyone else.

Yet Xie Qingquan never gave up. He believed that all success in this world comes from persistence, and those who endure to the end will surely succeed. So while suitors came and went, he remained steadfastly at her side.

Xie Qingquan was not ignorant of Yang Danni’s family background. Although she kept things low-key, news always leaked out, and with her family’s prominence in China, it was an open secret in Shanghai. This only made Xie Qingquan more excited and ambitious. He was a man who understood boundaries and had a keen sense of ambition. He was good at planning—what he wanted now wasn’t just Yang Danni, but everything behind her.

Long Fei could guess Xie Qingquan’s intentions with his eyes closed, but he didn’t intend to play the role of protector at this moment. Even though Yang Danni seemed a bit unhappy, Long Fei pretended not to notice.

Xie Qingquan sat down, introduced himself to Long Fei, and handed him a gilded business card, promising that if Long Fei ever needed anything, he could ask him for help. His meaning was clear—he was showing off, though his display was more restrained than some.

“How old are you this year, Long Fei?” Seeing that Long Fei didn’t look very old, Xie Qingquan probed.

“Oh, just turned twenty.” Long Fei replied with a faint smile.

Xie Qingquan’s face brightened. Long Fei was twenty; Yang Danni was twenty-four. The odds of them dating weren’t high—though relationships with older women were common, they weren’t mainstream.

Long Fei easily read Xie Qingquan’s thoughts, and Yang Danni did too. She frowned, wanting to say something, but worried this wasn’t the right moment. If she said the wrong thing, what would Long Fei think?

Women in love often find their intelligence dulled, so even someone as clever as Yang Danni hesitated.

“Well then, I’ll call you ‘Brother Long.’ May I ask where you work?” Xie Qingquan continued. Such banquets weren’t for ordinary people—everyone present was a person of influence.

Long Fei hesitated, unsure how to answer, when Ye Qian walked over. Without asking, she sat beside Long Fei, smiling smugly. “You’re asking him? Oh, he’s my bodyguard. I brought him here. Is there a problem?”

Xie Qingquan recognized Ye Qian and glanced at her chest, feeling a mix of regret and surprise. He praised, “Ah, so he’s with Miss Ye. I wouldn’t have guessed.”

People at Xie Qingquan’s level always acted cautiously. Once he learned Long Fei’s background, and saw it was lower than his own, he became less polite. For most, being a subordinate of the Ye family was impressive, but for Xie Qingquan, it was several rungs below, so his tone showed a hint of disdain.

“What do you mean ‘with me’? He’s my bodyguard!” Ye Qian quickly clarified, fearing misunderstandings.

But Long Fei was irked by her words. “Miss Ye, didn’t you originally refuse to let me be your bodyguard? Now you’re telling everyone I am?”

“I just like it—what can you do about it?” Ye Qian said brazenly, shaking her head and sticking out her tongue to make a face at Long Fei.

Yang Danni, unable to take much more, asked in a low voice, “Long Fei, are you really her bodyguard?”

“Yes, I just got off the train yesterday and her father hired me!” Long Fei spread his hands helplessly. “But I hear the pay’s good. Right, Miss Ye?”

“Of course. Even a janitor in our Ye family doesn’t earn a low salary,” Ye Qian snorted.

Yang Danni’s brows knit tightly, and she spoke impulsively, “Long Fei, in that case, you shouldn’t be a bodyguard. Whatever she pays you, I’ll match it!”

Excited people tend to say the wrong thing; as soon as she spoke, Yang Danni regretted it, glancing at Long Fei nervously.

“Oh? Such a good deal? So you mean, you’ll support me?” Long Fei’s smile turned a bit strange.

Meanwhile, Xie Qingquan frowned. Was Yang Danni a bit too concerned about Long Fei? And judging by the way she acted, she seemed to fear for him, even worry about him—or was it care? Why?

“No, that’s not what I meant, Long Fei, let me explain!”

“All right, all right—I have no plans to resign yet. I’ll step outside for some air. You all can chat.” Feeling stifled, Long Fei quietly slipped out to the balcony on the second floor, leaving the three sitting awkwardly on the sofa, glaring at each other.

Ye Qian, furious, glared at Xie Qingquan and stomped off.

Yang Danni stood, ready to follow Long Fei, but Xie Qingquan quickly blocked her. “Danni, where are you going? Dance with me, won’t you?”

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