Linfeng looked at the mirror.
Aside from the small cut on his cuff and the slight crease on his sleeve, he looked presentable.
He checked if there were stains or dust left on his body, but could not see any other problem.
He sighed deeply, burying the disturbing words that Guan Gao Huan had said. Even if ZD World got a strong competitor, the competitor should still fall behind. By the time the new horse appeared, ZD World would have been far ahead, leaving others in the dust. By then, their roots would be already deeply entrenched and would not be easily swayed.
Linfeng was sure about these, because ZD Comprehensive Project also involved peripheral projects, so there was no need to be anxious. However, to be on the safer side...
He took out his phone and called his investigation team.
"I have a new mission for you. I will send the details to you."
After sending out a message, he cleared the data, put the phone back into his pocket, arranged his hair once more before going out of the restroom.
As soon as Linfeng stepped back on the hall, people surrounded him again.
Earlier, he had already talked to the parties he was interested in and the most prominent ones. The people now were negligible to him. Still, out of politeness, he chatted with them for a bit, before finally excusing himself to look for Xiong Zhi.
He lowered his presence and circled around the hall, making sure to walk on areas with sparser people.
Because Guan Gao Huan was here, Linfeng was concerned about Xiong Zhi.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #'-tyranny_52228404426105218 for visiting.
They should have not met yet… or have they? If they did, then that was another reason to find her and stay by her side.
While looking for Xiong Zhi, he suddenly caught sight of William a few steps away.
'. . . .'
What the hell was this uncle doing?
The man was gingerly holding two trays of drinks, one had three glasses on top, the other had two. He moved slowly like a turtle.
Linfeng thought those drinks were for his brothers. However, they could just get the drinks with the help of the servers, so why did William have to do it?
Did this uncle offended one of them and was ordered around as a consequence? But who among those guys had the guts to order the oldest?
He just threw one glance, and looked away.
Despite his curiosity, Xiong Zhi's condition was more important than anything else.
He turned around and pretended that he did not see William.
However, William had already caught sight of Linfeng.
"Youngest!"
William's voice was full of hope. His blue eyes were bright, as if he had finally seen his savior.
Linfeng pretended that he did not hear him. If he got caught by William, the uncle would not easily let him go and probably let him help. He could help in other times, but not this time.
Besides, because William did not bring a female escort, Linfeng was afraid of William meeting Xiong Zhi and playing tricks on his girlfriend again.
If that bastard made fun of his girlfriend again...
"Youngest! Don't pretend that you did not see me! Our eyes already met!"
Linfeng's slow pace became slightly faster.
The area had sparse people, but the few guests near them glanced at William inquiringly.
William hurried his steps but he was still being careful so he instantly fell behind Linfeng. It was already a miracle that the glasses on top of the trays did not fall.
"Youngest..!" William lowered his voice slightly, almost hissing, still calling the leaving man.
He glared at the back a few meters away now.
"Youngest, I know where the kitten is!"
The back suddenly stopped.
The term 'kitten' was William's own way of addressing Xiong Zhi. Even though Linfeng had warned William many times to not call his girlfriend this because it sounded too intimate, the man always ignored his warnings, grinned, then said it again after a while. William had said that either he would call Xiong Zhi 'darling' or 'kitten'.
Linfeng's answer was an icy stare. Both weren't good!
Linfeng turned to William with the same look.
"Where is she?"
William finally caught up and breathed heavily.
His arms were numb, ah. That kitten was really ruthless.
"She is with us in the private longue."
Linfeng paused.
"By us, you mean, the five of you?"
William ignored Linfeng's dark aura and nodded.
"Yeah, so come help me here."
"The five of you, alone with a girl? Xiong Zhi will not agree to that, unless someone dragged her there."
William: "..."
'Youngest... Why are your instincts so sharp?'
He offered the tray with three glasses.
"I plead guilty. Please, help me."
There was no use arguing against the youngest.
For some reason, the youngest always won.
Linfeng narrowed his eyes at the tray. This uncle still wanted to give him the heavier one.
How insincere.
He ignored the tray and looked at William.
"Which room?"
William: ….My arms didn't hurt, but my heart feels hurt, ah. He finally gave up letting the youngest help him and said which room it was.
Hell, why did he even chase after the heartless guy!
Linfeng immediately turned around and went straight to the direction of the room.
Did those men know that Xiong Zhi was his girlfriend?
What if they made moves on her? If they dared to even try...
There would be no brothers' talk here, just a more physical discussion between two men.
[E/N: *fujoshi perks an ear*]
Thud.
The door of the lounge opened loudly, surprising the people inside.
Four men turned their heads to the door, and the lone woman who wore an indifferent face at their center glanced as well.
The woman's cold eyes opened wider with a look of pleasant surprise. Her blank face seemed to be injected with liveliness, as if an ink painting turning into a watercolor artwork.
"Lin—" Her voice was cut-off when the man's face darkened.
"Get your hands off her."
Linfeng walked in a few strides towards Xiong Zhi, grabbed Caleb's and Johan's oily pig hands on each of Xiong Zhi's arms, and threw them aside.
Linfeng then drew Xiong Zhi into his arms protectively and glowered one by one at his brothers, no, at the wolves who were just unceremoniously holding onto his girlfriend a few seconds ago.
The four men: ….
After a silent confrontation, Erich was the one who spoke first.
"Err, for the record, I did not touch your girlfriend, even the hem of her dress, I swear that I never touched it."
Linfeng took back his death glare at Erich, then increased the coldness onto Caleb, Johan, and Eugene.
Eugene raised his hands and shook his head.
"I did not touch her either."
The death glare on him was removed.
Finally, murderous intent was poured onto Caleb and Johan.
Johan with an upright face opened his mouth to defend himself as well.
Linfeng spoke first. " Don't try to deny it. I caught you red-handed."
Johan changed the words which were about to come out from his lips and pleaded guilty.
"Okay, fine, I did, but it's not what you think it is. We're just telling her a story, all good stories about you!"
He then looked at Caleb for help.
Caleb nodded solemnly. "Yes, he's telling the truth. We're telling her your heroic adventures during the years you spent outside the country. We just happened to be demonstrating something earlier. In fact, Zhi'er is acting as you!"
'Zhi'er?'
Caleb's words did not ease Linfeng's suffocating aura, but it rose more.
His friends wanted to shed manly tears of blood. They already told him they were telling great stories about him, to add good points for him with his girlfriend!
So why was he getting angrier?
It was only Erich who understood the situation and sighed.
He tried to help out.
"Guys, in Country C, we are more conservative in the customs here. We only call other's first names or nicknames to people we've gotten close to, to show our intimacy with them."
Caleb and Johan, including William, looked blankly at him.
Erich smiled helplessly and continued.
"So it's normal for Linfeng to get angry when you guys act too intimate with his girlfriend, especially when you're… holding onto her like the way you did earlier. In the room, he is the only one who can call Miss Xiong Zhi as 'Zhi'—" Because Linfeng was watching him too closely, Erich chose to not say the forbidden term '-er'. "—As you mentioned."
"…Then why did you not tell us that earlier!"
"…I live mostly abroad, so I totally forgot. I just remembered it now. But in any case, you guys were being too roguish earlier."
The three guys: "..."
Is that really important? It's only a name.
Still, Caleb and Johan apologized to Xiong Zhi for acting rude.
Not knowing the country's culture they went to was really terrible, they were almost treated as rogues.
Hopefully, this should appease the fried hair on Linfeng's body. No one could go against their youngest's tyranny, ah.
Xiong Zhi watched everything with a smile on her eyes.
Her impression of the group rose favorably.
This group was not bad.
They all seem to like Linfeng, to the point of indulging him.
Although they acted submissive and even afraid of Linfeng, she could see the hidden tolerance and sincerity of friendship in them.
Xiong Zhi glanced at the man who still wore a frown on his brows.
His face looked angry, but after knowing him for a long time, she knew that he was not really upset any more, just purposely showing such a face.
She pressed down a smile.
This man was always so awkward with his friends.
His strong arm was still hugging around her. She leaned against his hard chest.
Sigh, it felt good to be in his arms.
It felt like home.
When they sat down on the couch, she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right, Linfeng. The person who dragged me here..."
William stiffened.
He had just served everyone a drink. His hand that was offering Xiong Zhi a drink froze.
This little kitten was about to tattle-tale!
Xiong Zhi inwardly smirked at William's troubled face.
"It's this old uncle who dragged my shoulders and pushed me around."
Xiong Zhi sighed like a weak kitten.
"I feel that my shoulders are still hurting."
Linfeng: "...."
He knew that Xiong Zhi was just acting, but her thoughts were received by him. He played along and massaged Xiong Zhi's shoulder helplessly.
"Where does it hurt? Here?"
"Yes, there. Just do it lightly. It is still hurting."
William felt relieved. The two went back to flirting.
Then he heard Linfeng say the next words.
"And about that old uncle, how do you want me to punish him?"
William sweated.
Xiong Zhi looked at William. Her face appeared expressionless, but she was inwardly feeling funny.
"I do have a request..."