Chapter 52: Woman to Woman

Watching Wang Xinrou and Lan Ji in the back seat, laughing and chatting happily, He Tian could only shake his head in resignation. He recalled Lan Ji’s military demeanor just moments ago, and thought of Wang Xinrou’s furious expression. Now, seeing Lan Ji’s calm poise and feminine charm, and Wang Xinrou’s genuine delight, their deep sisterly bond made He Tian realize how much he still didn’t understand. Such a drastic change had occurred in such a short span of time! Women, truly, are unfathomable creatures.

He Tian drove quietly, leaving all the time to Lan Ji and Wang Xinrou, refraining from asking Lan Ji too many questions. There were things better kept from Wang Xinrou, if possible. He Tian knew he could never be as trusting toward Wang Xinrou as he was with Wang Xinmeng. Yet, he couldn’t help but admire Lan Ji—being able to change Wang Xinrou’s perspective so quickly was no easy feat.

Though He Tian overheard what they were discussing and found it hard to comment, he couldn’t help but imagine—if Wang Xinrou could be a little more mischievous at times, how amusing might that be? Surely, it would be quite entertaining.

The car entered the city, then drove straight to Green Source Villas, arriving at the Wang family’s residence. The Dragon Sea Garden wasn’t yet ready for occupancy, so He Tian wouldn’t consider settling Lan Ji there. Hou Qiang hurried out to open the gate, surprised at He Tian’s early return—was school out early on Fridays? He didn’t notice Lan Ji in the back seat and could only guess.

As the car drove inside, Hou Qiang closed the gate. Though He Tian hadn’t spoken much with them lately, the raises in salary, the new surveillance equipment, and his miraculous morning breathing exercises had earned him immense respect from Chen Long, Hou Qiang, and the others. They now approached their duties with renewed enthusiasm.

Wang Xinmeng and Old Hu hadn’t returned yet. Wang Xinrou, as the hostess, warmly led Lan Ji upstairs to arrange her room. There were eight rooms on the second floor: three occupied by He Tian, Wang Xinrou, and Wang Xinmeng, one was Wang Xinmeng’s study, the rest were guest rooms. It was no trouble to settle Lan Ji in.

She then introduced Lan Ji to Aunt Qiu and the others, her enthusiasm boundless. Lan Ji, now a mature and elegant woman, greeted them with a warm smile, friendly and approachable. She joked with Wang Xinrou, as if they were old friends reunited after years apart—a scene that left He Tian quietly moved.

Leaving them to their conversation, He Tian retreated to his own room and took out the materials given by Young Master Hai to review. He Tian was somewhat disappointed; the documents were all about the racetrack—nothing on the other drivers. The track was located in the northeast corner of Beijing, north of the Miyun Reservoir, a legal underground racing circuit. The details on its length, curves, and the specifics of each bend were thorough. Inside was a disc; viewing it on his computer, He Tian found even more detailed introductions and recorded footage of vehicles on the track. Everything was focused on this racetrack.

He Tian, disappointed, set the materials aside. Standing by the window, he gazed at the distant villas and the towering skyscrapers beyond, lost in thought. He sensed that uncovering any information about Young Master Hai might not be as simple as he’d imagined. Yet, this only fueled He Tian’s curiosity; he was eager to see what secrets lay beneath Young Master Hai’s surface. If it really connected to the Longya incident... that would be serious, possibly implicating many people.

But He Tian couldn’t concern himself with all that. To him, Longya wasn’t the highest authority of Dragon Scale—it was someone from Dragon Soul. How could a Dragon Soul member die so mysteriously? He Tian wouldn’t allow such a thing. When the time came, no matter who stood in his way, he would eliminate them all... to uphold Dragon Soul’s supreme authority.

The ringing phone interrupted He Tian’s contemplation. He picked it up, glanced at the number, and frowned slightly.

“Haha, Brother Hai, what brings you to call me? Worried about something?” He Tian greeted with a cheerful tone.

It was a call from Young Master Hai; He Tian wasn’t sure what business he had. If it was to drink or socialize, He Tian had already decided not to refuse. He needed to spend more time around Young Master Hai.

“My dear brother He, what are you saying? How could I not trust you! It’s just...” Young Master Hai sighed helplessly, “Ah...”

“Brother Hai, I know my worth. Honestly, I’m quite grateful for what you did today! No matter what, we’re brothers, right? If there’s anything, just say the word!” He Tian feigned being moved. After all, gifting such a villa, expressing gratitude was only natural.

“The young masters from Tianhai can’t stand me monopolizing the Nanshan racetrack. Just now, they’ve issued a challenge, inviting me for a race tomorrow night! I really don’t have any good drivers under me!” Young Master Hai said earnestly, “Brother, could you help me out? Don’t worry, half the prize is yours!”

He Tian’s mind raced, quickly considering various possibilities. Did Young Master Hai not trust his driving skills? Or perhaps, he wanted to see how He Tian performed under intense competition. Maybe he was testing He Tian’s attitude—to see if he was still as proud as their first meeting, or if today’s interactions had changed him...

“Brother, you’re too kind! Though this isn’t in the contract, if there’s quick money to be made, I won’t hold back!” He Tian attributed everything to money. The lure of profit is powerful; Young Master Hai shouldn’t doubt him for this.

“Great! The race starts at eight tomorrow night! Come early! Brother, thank you—you’re doing me a huge favor!” Young Master Hai said gratefully.

“Brother, you’re joking. Tomorrow night, then—see you there!” He Tian replied with a smile, then hung up.

Setting down the phone, He Tian closed his eyes in thought. He was accustomed to constantly shifting roles, trying to discern others’ intentions.

Binhai Villa District, Young Master Hai’s villa.

Young Master Hai smiled as he hung up. Before contacting He Tian, he’d already spoken with Young Master Cheng and Young Master Qi—two peers of his status—inviting them to the race tomorrow night. Both readily agreed. At their level, it was less an invitation, more a challenge. Young Master Hai had always sought opportunities to put Young Master Cheng and Young Master Qi in their place, and this was a perfect chance.

As for the other young masters, Young Master Hai hadn’t mentioned them.

At this level, throughout Tianhai, only Young Master Cheng and Young Master Qi could compete with Young Master Hai—no one else. Both were qualified to enter the year-end race. Now, assessing the quality of their chosen drivers would give Young Master Hai some confidence.

Young Master Hai’s delight was also due to He Tian. The contract signed, He Tian’s eager agreement, all made Young Master Hai feel he had finally secured a top driver. The future looked bright.

Watching a star appear on TV, Young Master Hai grinned and instructed Akun, “That actress is nice, go tell her I want to have dinner with her tonight.”

“Yes, young master, I’ll arrange it right away!” Akun replied with a smile.

For Young Master Hai, female celebrities were mere playthings. They were no different from ordinary women, but he preferred them for the thrill their status brought.

———

When Wang Xinmeng and Old Hu returned and saw Lan Ji, they were astonished, especially Old Hu, who sensed a chilling aura from Lan Ji—a presence accumulated only by those who had killed more than once. Ordinary people wouldn’t notice, but it couldn’t be hidden from Old Hu, who had spent half his life in the Dragon Squad.

Seeing Lan Ji and Wang Xinrou acting so familiar, Old Hu refrained from questioning her. Lan Ji herself sensed Old Hu’s presence—especially the sharp glint in his eyes when surprised, confirming for Lan Ji that Old Hu was likely an expert.

“Big sister, you’re back! Uncle Hu...” Wang Xinrou excitedly pulled Lan Ji to Wang Xinmeng and Old Hu, introducing, “This is Sister Lan Ji, the new bodyguard Brother He Tian found!”

“Hello, I’m Wang Xinmeng, Xinrou’s older sister. Very pleased to meet you! Please take care in the future!” Wang Xinmeng’s smile was warm upon hearing Lan Ji was brought in by He Tian to protect her younger sister.

“I’ve heard of you from Xinrou, you’re remarkable—so young and already established!” Lan Ji replied with a smile.

“Sister Lan Ji?” Wang Xinmeng said uncertainly, “You’re too kind!”

“I’m probably a bit older than you! Honestly, I’ve wasted years—Xinmeng, you live life more freely!” Lan Ji laughed tenderly.

According to Wang Xinrou, Lan Ji always had a hint of enchantment about her—especially when she smiled, her allure only intensified.

“Second Miss, where’s He Tian?” Old Hu asked.

“Brother He Tian is upstairs in his room! Sister, Sister Lan Ji, please sit!” Wang Xinrou remained enthusiastic.

“Xinrou, don’t be so warm—too much and you’ll make me feel like a stranger!” Lan Ji laughed softly.

Old Hu headed upstairs slowly, his brow furrowing as he turned his back on Lan Ji.

He Tian’s origins from Dragon Soul had already been confirmed by Old Hu that night. But Lan Ji—she was certainly no ordinary woman. Old Hu had to ask He Tian for clarity; otherwise, he wouldn’t feel at ease leaving the Wang sisters with someone who might be a cold-blooded killer.

At the same time, Old Hu wondered why He Tian needed another bodyguard. Was he planning to leave?