Chapter 312 — Yaoyao Tattles

Wei Zhao let the sentence trail off, but it was clear enough that Xie Guangbo would understand what he meant.

"Don't worry -- as long as my son comes back safe, I'll go along with whatever you want!" Xie Guangbo had come around to the idea as well. If Wei Zhao really did bring his son back, so much the better. He might have lost his shares and his money, but his son would get a taste of an ordinary man's hard life. Without money for drugs and gambling, perhaps the boy would finally straighten himself out.

"I hope you mean that." Wei Zhao gave Xie Guangbo a long, searching look, and only when he saw the man's eyes were clear did he continue. "I'll see that you get your wish. Give me your son's information and send it to my phone inbox. My number is 152XXXX1234..."

"I'll send it over in a moment! If I may ask... what about Ah Huang?" Xie Guangbo ventured cautiously.

"He won't die. A decent early Yellow-tier fighter like him only needs to lie at home for a fortnight to recover." Wei Zhao waved a hand carelessly.

Xie Guangbo's heart jolted. Wei Zhao could size up Ah Huang's strength at a glance? Then what level was he himself? The stronger Wei Zhao was, the happier Xie Guangbo grew, for only so could Wei Zhao have any chance of bringing his son back from the gang's clutches.

This time Wei Zhao did not leap out the window. He strolled out through the front door, got into the Beetle, and vanished from Xie Guangbo's sight.

The Beetle? Xie Guangbo blinked, glanced at the license plate, and remembered -- this car belonged to Shen Yushu, that good friend of Gu Mengyao's...

So he really is one of Gu Mengyao's people? Yet Xie Guangbo could not bring himself to believe that a fighter of such caliber would serve as Gu Mengyao's personal guard. Was that even possible? Even Qing Bo, the man at Gu Pengzhan's side, surely could not match such skill.

Xie Guangbo shook his head and gave up trying to guess Wei Zhao's identity. There was no point in guessing anyway; he need only do as Wei Zhao said.

He phoned Wang Ma, the nanny in the servants' quarters, and had her come up to carry Ah Huang back to his room. If Wei Zhao said Ah Huang would be fine, then fine he would be.

Inside the room, Ah Huang had already regained consciousness. He forced his eyes open and looked at Xie Guangbo. "Mr. Xie, I'm sorry... I failed to protect you..."

"Say no more! The man is formidable! Are you all right? Do you need a hospital?" Xie Guangbo waved a hand. He could hardly blame Ah Huang for being outmatched; the man had done his utmost.

"No need. I just need some rest..." Ah Huang shook his head. "At the very least, he's late Yellow-tier... Mr. Xie, you're not hurt?"

"No..." Xie Guangbo gave a bitter smile. Late Yellow-tier -- that was two whole grades above Ah Huang. Against a fighter of that level, Ah Huang could never have stood a chance...

Wei Zhao drove back to the villa district and found that Gu Pengzhan's car had still not left, though Gu Pengzhan himself was no longer inside. Only Qing Bo sat quietly in the driver's seat.

"Where is Uncle Chu?" Wei Zhao asked after parking the car.

"Inside the villa. Mr. Gu said that when you returned, you should go straight in and find him." Qing Bo nodded to Wei Zhao.

Entering the villa, Wei Zhao saw Gu Pengzhan sitting on the sofa, saying something to Gu Mengyao, while Shen Yushu sat to one side watching television.

Seeing how late Wei Zhao had come back, Gu Mengyao was immediately displeased. "Daddy, just look at Wei Zhao -- always coming back so late! You're the one paying for him, a twenty-four-hour attendant. How can he have so little sense of work discipline?"

As she spoke, Gu Mengyao shot Wei Zhao a triumphant look. Let's see if you dare go tomcatting around now, she thought. This time Daddy's here too, and you've been caught red-handed! Let's see how you explain your way out of this one!

But to Gu Mengyao's surprise, before Wei Zhao could offer any explanation, Gu Pengzhan said sternly, "Yaoyao, Xiaoyi was out running errands for me. Don't talk nonsense! Besides, Wei Zhao looks after your studies and daily life all day long, and in the evenings he only stays with you out of duty. What work discipline? Is he not allowed to have matters of his own?"

"Daddy..." Gu Mengyao had not expected Wei Zhao to escape a scolding while she herself got one. Her face fell at once, and she shot Wei Zhao a sulky glare. This fellow... actually enjoys such favor from Daddy?

If she did not know that she was her mother's only child, and that her father was not the sort of man to stray, she would truly have suspected that Wei Zhao was his illegitimate son!

"All right, Xiaoyi, come with me for a moment... Mm, my study will do." Gu Pengzhan ignored his daughter. Company affairs had already left him harried and exhausted, and to keep her from worrying, he had just now forced a smile and chatted with her about her studies and daily life... Now that Wei Zhao had returned, Gu Pengzhan was eager to learn how things had turned out.

"Very well, Uncle Chu," Wei Zhao said with a nod, and went into Gu Pengzhan's room with him.

The door had barely shut when Gu Pengzhan's impatience got the better of him. "How did it go? What did Xie Guangbo say?"

"He won't be throwing in his lot with Jin Gubang again for the next few days. But I'll have to make a trip abroad before this can be settled once and for all," Wei Zhao said.

"Abroad? What's this about?" Hearing that Xie Guangbo would no longer back Jin Gubang, Gu Pengzhan was instantly elated. So long as Xie Guangbo kept out of it, Jin Gubang could not possibly stir up any real trouble on his own.

"Xie Guangbo's son racked up a loan-shark debt with a gang abroad -- one hundred million US dollars," Wei Zhao explained briefly. "The only reason Xie Guangbo supports Jin Gubang as the new chairman is that Jin Gubang promised him that once he takes office, he'll be allowed to siphon company funds to pay off his son's debt."

"So that's the reason!" Light broke over Gu Pengzhan. "Then your trip abroad..."

"Bring his son back, as a bargaining chip," Wei Zhao said, quite casually. "But don't worry, Uncle Chu. It's only a dozen or so hours in the air each way -- two days round trip should be more than enough."

"Two days, and you can bring the man back?" Gu Pengzhan was taken aback, but then he recalled Wei Zhao's breakneck efficiency and formidable skill, and nodded. "Then I'll leave it to you. Do be careful..."

"While I'm gone, I'll have to trouble Uncle Qing to keep a close watch. I'm afraid Xie Guangbo might suddenly turn on us and drive Jin Gubang to desperation -- there's no telling what extremes the man might resort to," Wei Zhao said. "If I weren't worried about causing you trouble, I'd simply make him disappear."

"That's no problem at all! While you're away these two days, I'll have Li Fu stay with Yaoyao," Gu Pengzhan nodded. "But you must be careful about your own safety. If it can't be done, don't go sticking your neck out. Worst case, the company goes to Jin Gubang and I start over from scratch!"