"Miss, Mr. Chu has mentioned that Mr. Lin Yi is a versatile talent, skilled in both the arts and martial prowess. A mere shield, such as this, would be no challenge for him..." Old Fu hurriedly explained.
Fearing Miss Chu's concerns, some matters had been withheld from her by Mr. Chu, who had also instructed Old Fu to keep certain things undisclosed. While it appeared that Mr. Lin Yi had been hired to assist with Miss Chu's studies and daily life, the true, deeper purpose was rooted in an old family agreement involving the elder generation...
However, it was clear that if Miss Chu were suddenly confronted with a companion shield, she would most certainly object. Yet, coincidentally, Miss Chu, exhausted by the persistent advances of her suitors, had approached Mr. Chu, asking him to hire a shield to help fend off the swarming pests. Thus, Mr. Chu had, somewhat underhandedly, introduced Mr. Lin Yi as the ideal candidate.
In hindsight, Old Fu couldn't help but regret not taking Mr. Lin Yi to a proper clothing store first. From his photograph, Old Fu had seen that Mr. Lin Yi looked quite presentable, but his attire was... quite unique and certainly not in tune with the surroundings.
"Is he?" Miss Chu couldn't discern anything extraordinary about the man before her. Was he simply some worker picked up from the job market, just arriving in the city?
The young woman next to Miss Chu, however, stifled a laugh, clearly amused by Mr. Lin Yi's appearance, which seemed ill-suited for the role of a shield.
"Xiao Shu, what's so funny?" Miss Chu was already irate at her father's disregard and, upon noticing her friend laughing, her frustration only intensified. She shot a fierce glare in Xiao Shu's direction.
"Chen Yushu, don't be so obvious!" Miss Chu's reprimand caused her friend to quickly quiet down, though her curiosity about Mr. Lin Yi never wavered.
"Old Fu, tell him to get out of the car. I want someone else." Miss Chu furrowed her brows, no longer willing to entertain further debate on the matter.
"Miss, Mr. Chu has specifically mentioned that Mr. Lin Yi is more than capable, and the contract has already been signed..." Old Fu's tone suggested that Miss Chu had no room to oppose—her father had made the decision, and this matter was final.
"What?" Miss Chu blinked, her eyes nearly brimming with tears. She was at a loss for why her father would think this was acceptable. If this man were to stay by her side, wouldn't it be the subject of ridicule?
If this shield had at least been presentable, Miss Chu might have been willing to declare him her boyfriend to drive away the unwanted attention. However, that seemed utterly impossible now.
Even if she tried to claim this rustic man was her boyfriend, would anyone believe it? Even someone like Zhong Pinliang would mock her for it.
Listening to the conversation, Lin Yi was growing increasingly confused. A shield? Was the girl really seeking a boyfriend? No wonder Mr. Chu had acted so strangely earlier—was he truly trying to set up a son-in-law?
"Alright," Miss Chu's eyes glinted mischievously. "That guy just wouldn't leave me alone. Go deal with him. If you handle it well, you'll pass the test."
"That one?" Lin Yi nodded and got out of the car, striding towards Zhong Pinliang.
"That Chu Mengyao, she always rejects my advances. If it were any other woman, she'd be in my arms by now!" Zhong Pinliang grumbled to his lackeys.
"Zhong Shao, you should know that Chu Mengyao is no ordinary woman. She's the daughter of Pengzhan Group. It's only natural she's hard to win over!" one of Zhong Pinliang's followers, Gao Xiaofu, commented.
"I know, I know," Zhong Pinliang waved his hand dismissively. "That's why persistence is key..." Before he could finish, a young man wearing a faded white tank top and yellow pants suddenly came charging towards him, leaving him momentarily stunned.
Lin Yi quickly approached Zhong Pinliang, and without a word, delivered a swift kick to his backside, sending him tumbling to the ground. Turning on his heel, Lin Yi walked back to the car without a second glance.
As Zhong Pinliang was about to boast about his efforts to win over Chu Mengyao, he suddenly felt a sharp kick to his rear, causing him to stumble and fall.
"Who? Are you looking to die? How dare you kick me?" Zhong Pinliang struggled to his feet, covered in dirt, and yelled angrily.
"That guy? The worker?" Gao Xiaofu quickly identified the culprit.
"Why are you just standing there? Go after him!" Zhong Pinliang, furious, shouted at his subordinates. "Catch him! Beat him up!"
"Zhong Shao, he's gone... He disappeared." In the brief moment of confusion, Lin Yi had vanished.
"Dammit!" Zhong Pinliang cursed, grinding his teeth. "I'll remember what he looks like. Tomorrow, I'll make posters and send people to every construction site to find him. A worker dared to kick me? I'll make sure he can't live in Songshan City. Just wait!"
"Yao Yao, I didn't expect Lin Yi to be so tough. He even kicked Zhong Pinliang!" Chen Yushu's eyes widened in surprise as she recounted the scene.
"I think he's insane!" Chu Mengyao was equally taken aback, though she couldn't deny the unexpected creativity of his actions. Still, her decision remained unchanged—he was not fit for the job, no matter what he did.
"Yao Yao, why don't you just keep him?" Chen Yushu suggested mischievously.
"Xiao Shu, whose side are you on?" Chu Mengyao shot her a bewildered look. "Are you seriously attracted to this worker?"
"Ugh!" Chen Yushu shook her head quickly. "Yao Yao, it's you who's into him!"
"If you're not interested, why would you want him to stay? To embarrass me?" Chu Mengyao was puzzled.
"No, think about it. Zhong Pinliang has always ruled the school, and no one dares challenge him. But now, there's finally someone who isn't afraid of him. This could be fun!" Chen Yushu grinned wickedly. "If those two fight, Zhong Pinliang will have no time to pester you!"
"Fight?" Chu Mengyao narrowed her eyes, clearly seeing the real stakes. "You think Zhong Pinliang is that easy to deal with? A small worker like him? Zhong Pinliang would crush him."
"Yao Yao, you're so naive," Chen Yushu scoffed. "Even a dog knows to look to its master before it fights. With you backing him, what's there to fear from Zhong Pinliang?" She shrugged. "And don't forget, there's also me!"