CH 32

Not the horse.

Zhen Zhen thought Nan Ma would be proud of her if Nan Ma could see her eating in a civilised way. Then she looked at the elegant way William Hill was eating, and she felt ashamed to cut her steak. William Hill ate like he was giving an etiquette demonstration to a class of students.

‘We’re both eating steaks,’ William Hill said. ‘I can’t say my steak tastes better than yours.’

Zhen Zhen was embarrassed she got caught staring at William Hill eating.

‘How do you know Gu Zai?’ Zhen Zhen asked.

‘When Phil was seventeen, he accidently rode my horse,’ William Hill said. ‘I saved him from falling off my horse. Don’t let his cold exterior fool you. He’s a rebel. When we got caught stealing a queen’s jewel. He ran off, and I copped the blame.’

Zhen Zhen smiled while thinking about Yue Gu Zai as a rebel teen.

‘I can picture Gu Zai running away,’ Zhen Zhen said.

‘You know what the little boy said to me that day?’ William Hill asked. ‘William, I have an urgent business I need to attend to. I’ll leave first, and let you handle this situation.’

Zhen Zhen laughed at the William’s perfect impersonation of Yue Gu Zai’s calm voice and indifferent facial expression.

Zhen Zhen reminded William Hill of his gentle mum. Zhen Zhen smiled and laughed like his mum. He shook his head. What was he doing admiring his good friend’s wife. But Zhen Zhen made him miss his mum. As a man he was expected to be strong, but there were times when he needed a gentle woman by his side to care of him.

‘Is there something on my face?’ Zhen Zhen asked.

‘No,’ William Hill said.

Yue Gu Zai returned to the dining room. He heard Zhen Zhen laugh happily. He frowned and he sat down next to Zhen Zhen at the dining table.

‘Zhen Zhen, what are you laughing about?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

‘William’s telling me about how you ate flour and nearly fell off a horse in your teen years,’ Zhen Zhen said.

William Hill looked innocently at Yue Gu Zai, and Yue Gu Zai understood Zhen Zhen asked William Hill to tell embarrassing stories about Yu Gu Zai.

‘Gu Zai, are you done working yet?’ Zhen Zhen asked. ‘I want to go sightseeing with you.’

Since the incident in Italy, Zhen Zhen was more cautious. She didn’t dare go sightseeing on her own in a foreign country.

‘Zhen Zhen, if you want to go sightseeing, William can be your tour guide,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘He knows the area well.’

Yue Gu Zai trusted William Hill would keep Zhen Zhen safe in his stead.

‘I knew there’s no such thing as a free dinner,’ William Hill said. ‘You invited me to dinner so I’ll agree to be your wife’s tour guide. But I should warn you, I’m an expensive tour guide.’

‘What do you want?’ Yue Gu Zai asked.

‘Your mum’s jade cup,’ William Hill said.

‘You can have something else,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘You’re so petty,’ William Hill said. ‘Alright. Give me a fifty discount for my next purchase.’

Yue Gu Zai knew William Hill was robbing him in daylight. But as long as Zhen Zhen was safe, he would let himself be robbed.

‘Deal,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘Miss Beautiful Zhen Zhen, it’s my pleasure to be your tour guide,’ William Hill said.

‘I’ll go get change,’ Zhen Zhen said and ran off.

‘Is Bob causing you grief?’ William Hill asked.

‘There’s a traitor in Ni Sheng,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘Have you flushed out the traitor?’ William Hill asked.

‘There’s no rush,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘Soon the traitor will reap what they sow.’

‘Since it’s an internal traitor, I can’t be much of a help to you,’ William Hill said.

‘I want you to help me take good care of my wife,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘Don’t let anything happen to my wife.’

‘What are sworn brothers for?’ William Hill asked.

Zhen Zhen ran back into the room dressed in an graceful evening outfit. Yue Gu Zai and William Hill stared at her for a while.

‘I’m ready to go,’ Zhen Zhen said. ‘Do I look strange wearing this?’

‘No,’ William Hi said. ‘You look beautiful.’

Yue Gu Zai stood in front of Zhen Zhen and he smiled at her.

‘Zhen Zhen, don’t make me worry about you,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

‘Yes,’ Zhen Zhen said.

Zhen Zhen scrunched her nose at Yue Gu Zai’s worrywart face, and she left with William Hill to go sightseeing.

Yue Gu Zai’s assistant walked into the dining room after Zhen Zhen and William Hill left.

‘Boss, Da Tu Li is here,’ the assistant said.

‘Escort her to the living room,’ Yue Gu Zai said.

***

End of Chapter Thirty-Two