233 THE COLD EMPEROR

Assistant Chen looked at his boss with a frown. The man had lost weight, and there were shadows under his eyes. However, he still had the aura of an emperor. He had matured more since they had met. In the past, he was cold, but there was a hint of purity. Now, he had an inexplicable depth of a man who had seen the world.

He cleared his throat before speaking up.

"There has been no movement from the Shadow Brotherhood. It seems like they are just observing the situation." He paused. "Meanwhile, we have managed to remove most of the other mercenaries. But they seem to be getting a lot more anxious. Their movements in searching for Miss Hu have become more frantic and urgent."

Zhong Feng did not respond, but he had heard the report.

He could not understand the reason the Shadow Brotherhood was still reluctant to make any significant movements. He felt unsettled by their behaviour, but he also was relieved because he did not have a way to deal with such a cruel group which was feared in the entire world.

It had already been a little over a month since he had seen Hu Lei. He missed her and hoped that he would be able to see her soon. However, he also did not regret his decision. Since that night, he had experienced eight separate attacks from mercenaries.

Moreover, there were many other incidents which were prevented by his security team. If he had not taken certain precautions, he would have probably suffered a lot more.

"There is something else." Assistant Chen was hesitant about explaining the other issue to his boss.

He had learned how to be candid after working for Zhong Feng for numerous years. The man did not lie when people wasted time. But this was not an easy thing to say to a man who was already stressed and on the edge.

"What?" The cold emperor said impatiently.

"Well, there have been a lot of online rumours about you and a model named Song Lili. She has apparently moved to the acting industry as one of the promising new stars. Actually, she was signed to Illusion Entertainment not too long ago, and she has already played some small roles and appeared in several variety shows." He explained.

Zhong Feng frowned deeply, even though he did not think that this problem was big in the face of all the other issues he was facing.

"What are the exact rumours?"

"It's being said that you have a romantic connection and even have the blessing of the parents. It seems that your mother is the one who personally facilitated Song Lili's contract. So, the insiders have assumed that there is a connection. She has been getting a lot of support and resources because of this." Assistant Chen continued.

Zhong Feng's eyes were colder. "What has Song Lili said?"

"She has denied the rumours." He paused. "Although I get the feeling that she is not as upfront about things as she seems."

"What about the social media?" Usually, these decisions were made without Zhong Feng, but this was a sensitive issue for the boss.

"The rumours should die down if they are not fuelled by the entertainment company. Suppressing the information on the net might draw unnecessary attention and cause the problem to blow up."

Assistant Chen nodded.

"Have you considered the matter that we discussed three weeks ago?" Zhong Feng asked suddenly before Chen Li could leave.

The man looked back at his boss, surprised that he had brought this up. Three weeks ago, Zhong Feng had offered him the position of CEO at Etude Technologies. Since they had left the company, Etude had been managed by a professional external CEO Zhong Feng had employed.

At the time, Chen Li had asked him if he wanted to integrate Etude under the Zhong Industries banner. However, the man had said that the company would remain independent because it would be his wife's wedding gift.

Even though the company did not have the background of Zhong Industries, it was an international company with a lot of financial power. Moreover, Chen Li knew how much Hu Lei meant to Zhong Feng. Therefore, it showed how much trust his boss had to have him take over Etude Technologies.

"Yes, I have considered it. I will take the position." He paused. "However, I would like to wait until these complications have been resolved."

There was no need to explain what complications he was talking about. While he had trained the new assistants to handle all professional matters, it was not possible to involve them in the issues surrounding Hu Lei. These were personal matters which could not be shared carelessly. Moreover, there was life and death involved.

He could not disregard everything and move on without seeing the story to the end.

Zhong Feng nodded. "Very well, you will remain as my assistant until my wedding day."

Chen Li saw a small smile on the weary face of the big boss. The handsomeness seemed to brighten up the room, making it seem like he was the centre of the world. He was dazed for a moment and felt a little heat around his ears. He shook himself internally. He needed to take his girlfriend out for a date or he might stray.

Still, he felt like he had made the right decision.

"Are you going to stand there the whole day?" Zhong Feng asked flatly.

Assistant Chen, who was already used to a tough boss, felt relieved when he saw that the man was back to normal. If he was always so charming…