"Miss, Mr. Chu said that Mr. Lin Yi is a multi-talented individual, both scholarly and skilled in martial arts. Handling a small task like being your shield is nothing for him," Uncle Fu quickly explained.
To keep Chu Mengyao from worrying, some details had been withheld. Chu Pengzhan had even instructed Uncle Fu not to mention them. On the surface, Lin Yi's role was to assist Chu Mengyao with her studies and daily life, but the real reason was tied to an old family agreement from previous generations.
However, Chu Mengyao wouldn't have agreed if Lin Yi had been introduced solely as a "study companion." Luckily, she had been struggling to fend off persistent suitors and had asked her father to hire someone to act as her shield. Taking advantage of this, Chu Pengzhan had presented Lin Yi as the perfect candidate.
Still, Uncle Fu regretted not taking Lin Yi to a clothing store beforehand. From the photos, Lin Yi looked decent enough, but his current outfit was completely out of place in this environment.
"Him?"
Chu Mengyao couldn't see anything special about Lin Yi. Was he just some migrant worker her father picked up from the labor market?
Meanwhile, Chen Yushu, standing beside her, tried to stifle her laughter. Lin Yi's appearance didn't match the image of someone who could be a shield for Chu Mengyao.
"Xiaoshu, what are you laughing at?"
Already annoyed by her father's casual attitude, Chu Mengyao shot a glare at her best friend, who quickly stopped laughing and stuck out her tongue, her curious gaze still fixed on Lin Yi.
"Uncle Fu, tell him to get out of the car. I want someone else."
Chu Mengyao frowned, unwilling to argue further.
"Miss, Mr. Chu has already signed a contract with Mr. Lin Yi. This arrangement cannot be changed," Uncle Fu replied firmly, implying that Chu Pengzhan had made the decision and there was no going back.
"What?"
Chu Mengyao's big, beautiful eyes widened, and she looked like she was about to cry. What was her father even thinking?
If her shield was handsome, she could've at least claimed he was her boyfriend to fend off the flies buzzing around her. But now, with someone like Lin Yi, who would believe her? Zhong Pinliang would probably laugh his head off.
Listening to their conversation, Lin Yi's head began to ache. A shield? Is this girl seriously looking for a boyfriend? No wonder Chu Pengzhan had acted so strangely when discussing the job—was this some elaborate matchmaking scheme?
"Fine, that guy over there who keeps pestering me—go handle him. If you do well, I'll consider you qualified," Chu Mengyao said, her eyes glinting with a sly idea. If Lin Yi couldn't deal with the situation, she'd have a reason to get rid of him.
"That guy?"
Lin Yi glanced in the direction she pointed, nodded, and got out of the car, striding briskly toward Zhong Pinliang.
Zhong Pinliang was grumbling to his group of lackeys.
"This Chu Mengyao, always rejecting me. Any other woman would've thrown herself into my arms by now!"
"Boss, but Chu Mengyao isn't just any woman—she's the heiress of Pengzhan Group. It's natural that she'd be harder to get," one lackey, Gao Xiaofu, chimed in.
"I know that! Do you think I need you to tell me?" Zhong Pinliang waved him off impatiently. "That's why perseverance is key—"
Before he could finish, a young man in a yellowed tank top and dirt-colored pants was striding toward him. Zhong Pinliang blinked in confusion.
Lin Yi walked up without saying a word, raised his leg, and landed a solid kick right in Zhong Pinliang's backside. The force sent him sprawling face-first into the ground.
Without a backward glance, Lin Yi turned and walked back to the car.
Zhong Pinliang, who had been preparing to deliver a passionate speech about his pursuit of Chu Mengyao, suddenly felt a sharp kick. The next thing he knew, he was eating dirt.
"Who? Who dares kick me? Do you want to die?" Zhong Pinliang roared, struggling to get up, his face full of dirt and rage.
"It was that worker…" Gao Xiaofu pointed out.
"What are you standing around for? Go after him and beat him up!" Zhong Pinliang barked.
"Boss, he's already gone…"
By the time Zhong Pinliang's lackeys turned their attention back to Lin Yi, he had vanished.
"Damn it!" Zhong Pinliang cursed. "I'll remember his face. Tomorrow, I'll plaster posters of him all over the city and have every construction site look for him. A worker dares to kick me? I'll make sure he can't stay in Songshan City. Just you wait!"
Back in the car, Chen Yushu stared at Lin Yi in disbelief.
"Yaoyao, I didn't expect this Lin Yi to be so bold. He actually kicked Zhong Pinliang!"
"I think he's insane," Chu Mengyao said, though she admitted it was an unusual approach. But she'd already made up her mind—Lin Yi wouldn't last, no matter what he did.
"Yaoyao, why don't you keep him around?" Chen Yushu suggested.
"Xiaoshu, whose side are you on?" Chu Mengyao glared at her friend. "Don't tell me you've fallen for this worker?"
"Pfft!" Chen Yushu quickly shook her head. "Yaoyao, you're the one who's fallen for him!"
"If you haven't fallen for him, why do you want him to stay? To embarrass me?"
"No, no, think about it. Zhong Pinliang rules the school like a king, and no one dares challenge him. Finally, here's someone who's not afraid of him. Imagine how entertaining it'll be! If they're busy fighting, Zhong Pinliang won't have time to bother you," Chen Yushu said mischievously.
"Fighting? Do you think Zhong Pinliang is that easy to provoke?" Chu Mengyao pointed out. "He could beat that worker to death."
"Yaoyao, you're so naive. Even if you hit a dog, you have to consider its owner, right? With you backing him up, what's there to fear?" Chen Yushu rolled her eyes. "Besides, you've got me too!"