Chapter 7: A Second Unexpected Encounter

Only a fool would pass up a chance to make money, and Lin Mo needed it badly.

“Are you sure you can fight so many?” Shen Zhihan asked weakly. Her breathing grew faster, and her skin was visibly reddening.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Shen. I took the job, so I’ll get you home safely.” He smiled and let go of her. “Wait here. I’ll be quick.”

Without his support, she nearly fell. Through her haze, she watched him step in front of her and beckon to the bodyguards.

“Come at me together. I’m in a hurry.”

“Get him! Young Master Chen said to cripple him! Don’t let Miss Shen leave!”

The dozen or so men rushed forward. Lin Mo remained calm. He rolled his neck and loosened up. His Divine Emperor bloodline had only just awakened; these men would make useful practice.

Three reached him first. He punched one in the chest, sending him flying backward into four others. His next punch struck a second man’s shoulder, knocking him sideways into three more.

“That was easy.”

He kicked another man away. The rest went flying in all directions, striking car doors and lampposts. In three or four seconds, the bodyguards lay scattered across the hotel entrance. Some were still twitching, and all who looked at him were terrified. They hadn’t even seen him move.

“Done. Forty thousand yuan earned.”

He brushed his sleeves and returned to Zhihan. “Ms. Shen, where’s the car?”

Leaning against the wall, she stared at him in astonishment. She hadn’t seen how he’d fought either—only a blur, and then everyone was down. She had chosen the right man.

She pointed toward the parking lot. “Over there. But I can’t walk.”

“No problem.” He picked her up and carried her toward it. Her thoughts were muddled; otherwise, she would never have agreed to let a stranger carry her that way.

Five minutes later, they reached the lot.

“The keys, Ms. Shen?”

“In my bag.”

She was sweating more heavily. With the Divine Emperor’s inheritance, Lin Mo could tell she had been given the same kind of drug as Su Yanyan.

He found the keys, opened the car, and helped her into the back seat. “Ms. Shen, there’s something I’m not sure I should say.”

“Drive.”

She leaned back, gritting her teeth. She knew what was happening to her and couldn’t afford to lose control here. She didn’t want a repeat of what had happened last night.

“All right. Please sit tight.”

He had wanted to offer to treat her, but she didn’t want to hear it. He was her driver, with a brief stint as her bodyguard; he would collect his pay first. He buckled up, started the car, and pulled away. The luxury car was a pleasure to drive.

In the mirror he saw Zhihan drenched in sweat, struggling against the drug. He felt sorry for her.

“Ms. Shen…”

“Just drive. No nonsense.”

He reconsidered. She hadn’t asked for treatment, so why interfere? What if Shen Zhihan had done it deliberately?

“Sorry, Ms. Shen. I talked too much.” An experienced designated driver, he knew to apologize and concentrate on the road. He said nothing else during the trip, while Zhihan struggled in the back seat.

About twenty minutes later, they reached Blue Sea Residential Complex. He parked and opened her door.

“We’re here, Ms. Shen.”

She was close to losing control. Seeing her condition, he ventured, “Could you tell me your building number? I can drive you inside…”

Before he finished, she pulled him into the car. Caught off guard, he called her name. She pulled the door shut and locked it.

…

At the Golden Phoenix Hotel, the battered bodyguards stood in two rows as the young man in white berated them.

“Useless! Every one of you!”

He was Chen Hai, heir to the Chen Group. His scheme the previous night had failed when Shen Zhihan escaped. Unwilling to give up, he had used a business discussion as a chance to try again, only for her to escape once more.

“More than a dozen of you couldn’t stop one pretty boy and a woman! What do I keep you for?”

The bodyguards lowered their heads. Chen Hai ground his teeth. “Find out who he is tonight! How dare he take my woman?”

“Don’t be angry, Young Master Chen.” The woman in the low-cut blue dress pressed close to his arm. “Shen Zhihan and I are best friends. I’ll help you get her sooner or later.”

Her name was Xu Siyao, and she had indeed been Zhihan’s close friend for years.

“She’s escaped twice. What else can you do?” Chen Hai asked. Frustrated and looking for an outlet, he considered that Siyao was attractive too. Since Zhihan had gotten away, perhaps Siyao could make up for it later.

“We could do this…” Siyao leaned close and whispered in his ear.

His face lit up. “Good! Let’s do that.” He put an arm around her waist and led her back into the hotel.

…

An hour later, the car had fallen quiet. Shen Zhihan straightened her dress, the flush gone from her face. She was as cold as when Lin Mo had first met her. He sat beside her, at a loss.

Twice now. Whatever he thought of the experience, looking back, the situation seemed absurd.

“You know what you may and may not say,” she told him without looking at him. She took 20,000 yuan in cash from her bag and tossed it to him. “Here. That’s all the cash I prepared. I’ll transfer the rest on WeChat.”

Lin Mo stared at the money, wondering whether it was payment for driving or something else.

“What? You don’t want it?” Her gaze sharpened; she was once again the unapproachable, prickly woman he knew.

“I do!” He brought up his payment code. He had earned it, hadn’t he?

His phone announced a transfer of 20,000 yuan. With the cash in hand and 20,032.56 yuan in his account, he was thrilled. Now he could afford to move.

“Thank you, Ms. Shen. I’ll get going.”

He reached for the door, but she stopped him. “Wait. Would you like to earn more?”

He stared at her. More money? In the same way?

…