The young man with dyed yellow hair looked aggrieved. Kaden's expression clearly seemed like he was lovesick, but faced with a room full of menacing men, he chickened out and kept his mouth shut.
"Do you understand?" one of the men growled.
The yellow-haired youth nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. Kaden is an incredibly charming man and wouldn't have something like lovesickness."
The crowd of burly men smiled in satisfaction.
"Now that's more like it!"
Kaden, lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality. He glanced at his subordinates in the room and asked, "Do any of you know which restaurant has the best food?"
"Wang's stir-fried dishes are great; they have a homely taste," one suggested.
"Boss, don't listen to him. If you want to eat well, go to Tianxiang Lou for their private dishes. I went there once and couldn't stop thinking about it. But it's hard to get a reservation," another chimed in.
"For a feast, go for seafood! Jiweixian's seafood is the best in Oceanic City. It's the most satisfying," a third added.
The room erupted in suggestions, making Kaden's head throb.
"Quiet!" Kaden's sharp voice cut through the chatter, bringing silence.
The yellow-haired youth timidly spoke up, "Boss, can I ask, are you planning to go alone or take a friend?"
Kaden's eyes lit up. He waved the young man over.
Overjoyed, the youth hurried to Kaden's side.
"Taking a friend. Where's a good place for that?" Kaden asked.
"It depends if the friend is male or female. The places you take them to are different," the youth explained.
Kaden's interest grew. "Tell me more."
"If it's a guy, any of the places the brothers mentioned would do. But if it's a female friend, you need to find a place with ambiance and charm. Girls like those kinds of places."
"A place with ambiance and charm," Kaden repeated thoughtfully, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "You're pretty good."
"All thanks to your guidance, boss," the youth beamed.
Kaden stood up and walked out, realizing these burly men weren't much help in matters of taste and elegance.
Once he left, the room was filled with astonishment.
"Holy crap!"
One of the men exclaimed, expressing everyone's thoughts.
Kaden was in love!
This realization dawned on them all simultaneously.
On the other side of town, Zuri had just returned home, greeted by the sound of laughter from inside. This scene was all too familiar to her. Stepping into the living room, she glanced around casually but froze, eyes wide in surprise at the man sitting in the center.
Leo!
What was he doing here?
Aaron, seeing Zuri, quickly called out, "Zuri, come say hello to your Brother Leo."
Zuri walked over and greeted him politely, "Brother Leo."
Leo responded with a nod, his gaze fixed on the wound on her face. "You're hurt?"
Only then did Aaron and the others notice the injury on Zuri's face.
"Go call Doctor Wang to take a look," Aaron hurriedly instructed Arianwen.
Her face couldn't be damaged!
Leo stood up and turned to Zuri's parents. "I need to head back anyway, so I'll take Zuri to the hospital."
Aaron couldn't refuse. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ye."
"Mr. Lin, no need to be so formal. Zuri calls me 'brother,' so I should take care of her," Leo replied with a smile.
"Of course," Aaron agreed, beaming with pride.
And so, Zuri was whisked away by Leo.
In the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Zuri sat quietly to one side. Leo glanced at the bandage on her face, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
"Does it hurt?"
His low, rich voice drifted into her ears. The two simple words carried a hint of concern.
Zuri was momentarily stunned, her expression calm. "It doesn't hurt."
She was used to pain far worse than this.
Pain was something she had grown accustomed to.
Leo looked at her, recalling his nieces and nephews, all pampered and fussed over for the slightest scratch. They would make a scene over any little discomfort.
Pain? It's just that no one cared enough to notice.
"You're allowed to hurt."
Zuri felt a tremor in her heart, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes. The fortress around her heart seemed to crack just a bit.
Allowed to hurt?
She wasn't sure.
After spending so much time alone, licking her wounds, she had grown numb.
Did she want to? Yes.
But she didn't dare to hope again.
The lessons of her past life were enough.
She didn't want to go through it all again.
"It really doesn't hurt," Zuri smiled.
Leo watched her, seeing the toughness and loneliness beneath the surface. Even though she tried to hide it, he could see it all too clearly.
"Hmm," Leo responded softly.
The car wasn't headed to the hospital but to Lake Island. On this cold winter night, snow began to fall, making the already chilly night even colder.
To many, snow was beautiful. But to Zuri, it only brought cold.
Despite the warmth inside the car, the sight of snow made her shiver involuntarily.
Suddenly, a warm cloak was draped over her shoulders.
Leo instructed the driver, "Turn up the heat."
The driver immediately adjusted the temperature.
Zuri looked at Leo. "Thank you, Brother Leo."
Hearing her call him "Brother Leo," a hint of joy flashed in Leo's eyes.
The car drove into the heart of Lake Island. Once they arrived, a family doctor was already waiting. The wound was re-cleaned and treated.
Only after seeing Zuri enter the guest room did Leo head back to his own room.
In his bedroom, Leo called Mr. Qin. "Mr. Qin, which scar-removal ointment did Yu'er use last time? Get a bottle and bring it to Zuri's room."
"Understood," Mr. Qin responded without question.
Ten minutes later, Zuri opened her door to find Mr. Qin holding an exquisite gift box.
"Miss Zuri, this is a cream Mr. Ye asked me to bring. It's for pain relief and scar prevention."
"Thank you."
"Good night."
"Good night."
After closing the door, Zuri held the box, feeling its weight. There is a kind of care that permeates silently, seeping into the heart.
Zuri hadn't realized this yet.
She looked at the ointment and smiled softly.
In the days leading up to the New Year, the stock exchange was bustling rather than quiet. With the trading hall closing soon, investors were cautious.
In the VIP section of the stock exchange, reserved for clients with assets over ten million, an exception was made for a young "little stock god" who had recently risen to prominence in Oceanic City. In just a month, he had earned over 90 million, becoming a legend among the city's investors.