Chapter 113 Costume Show (Revised)

Andrei did not stay in Vladimir for long.

He rushed over, briefly met with He Changyi, quickly reprimanded the restless fellows, and then hurriedly returned to Moscow.

Before parting, he stood in front of He Changyi, his posture upright, his head slightly bowed, his blue eyes extremely focused.

"Would you like to come back with me? Vladimir isn't safe..."

At the same time, He Changyi said, "Don't interfere in Trotsky's affairs."

When Andrei stopped, what he was about to say became—

"...Trotsky?"

He frowned slightly and looked at He Changyi inquiringly.

"He is dangerous."

He Changyi nodded firmly and said, "He is indeed a dangerous guy."

Then, she changed the subject: "But now, Trotsky is no longer a problem."

He Changyi raised her eyebrows, tilted her chin up, and smiled with a hint of ease.

"I've already taken care of him."

This was a side of Andrei he had never seen before: powerful, confident, dangerous, and insane.

No longer a lively fawn, but a jaguar roaming the dark jungle, its fur exquisitely luxurious, and its killing intent suffocating.

She looks completely different from the foreign girl who once waved her luggage and knocked away a Gypsy thief in front of the train station.

Andrei looked at He Changyi with some curiosity, as if he were getting to know her all over again.

No matter how I look at it, it's clearly still her.

With outstretched claws and vibrant life, they resemble the plants in a tropical rainforest that fight tooth and nail for nutrients and sunlight.

How despicable.

How charming.

Seeing that Andrei remained silent, He Changyi called out his name.

"Andreusa?"

Andrei seemed to wake from a dream, his gaze falling on He Changyi's face.

He didn't ask her how she dealt with Trotsky, but simply said, "Good."

After a pause, Andrei added, "Do what you want to do."

He Changyi raised her eyebrows in surprise, her eyes already crinkling with delight.

"certainly!"

After watching Andrei leave in his car, He Changyi suddenly turned and left, instructing as she went, "Drive to the hospital!"

—God knows how worried she was during this time. The hospital had already reported the news of the brown bear escaping from the zoo.

—Could it be that the hunters with tranquilizer guns are already in position?

—Can she apply for first-priority allocation of bear paws, bear bile, and bear penis?

Hospital.

Alexei was lying there watching TV, bored, when a loud bang was heard as the door to his hospital room was violently kicked open.

He instinctively rolled to the inside of the hospital bed, grabbing a fruit knife from the bedside table with one hand and holding a chair leg upside down with the other—a fighting stance that allowed him to both attack and defend.

However, a voice that sounded all too familiar came from the doorway.

“I have said before that, for safety’s sake, wild animals should be chained to their beds rather than allowed to move freely.”

Alexei: ...

Alexei stood up from behind the bed.

The uninvited guest glanced at him, then at the fruit knife and chair in his hand.

"Alyosha."

She exclaimed in surprise, "You can actually use tools? That's incredible! But where are your fangs and claws?"

Alexei: ...Sometimes he really wanted to know what she was thinking.

A long, black dust bag with a clothes hanger attached was left on the hospital bed.

He Changyi crossed his arms and gestured with his chin toward Alexei.

"Put it on."

Alexei looked at her suspiciously, but didn't speak or make any move.

He Changyi urged impatiently, "What are you dawdling about? Don't worry, it's not a stripper's uniform inside. Even if you want to change careers, I won't waste my money here."

She scrutinized Alexei again, looking him up and down critically.

He had lost a lot of weight; he didn't look like a bear anymore, but rather like a male model from a fashion show, with an extremely beautiful frame.

And that face, the injuries strangely combined sharpness and vulnerability perfectly, making him look almost like a YSL male model.

He Changyi's tone softened slightly.

"Put it on, you don't want to stay in the hospital forever, do you?"

Alexei didn't say anything, but simply raised his hand to unbutton his hospital gown. Just before taking it off, he suddenly stopped and glanced at her.

He Changyi remained motionless, and urged with great interest, "Continue."

Alexei didn't move. Suddenly, he grabbed the dust bag from the bed, walked past He Changyi, and the next moment, the bathroom door slammed shut.

He Changyi scoffed.

"Ha, men."

While waiting, Xie Xuejun quietly reported to He Changyi on what had happened at the hospital during this period.

When the door opened, the two of them looked up at the same time.

He Changyi raised an eyebrow in surprise, while Xie Xuejun had already subconsciously spoken his thoughts aloud.

"She just changed her clothes, but she looks like a completely different person..."

The dark three-piece suit perfectly accentuated her broad shoulders and narrow waist. Her excessively pale complexion, the coldness and repression under the restraint, all combined to create an incredibly alluring look.

He Changyi had already stood up and walked briskly to Alexei. She raised her hand to straighten his collar, which just covered the healing scar.

Then she stepped back, looked at it carefully, and said with a smile, "Very good."

Alexei glanced at her calmly and awkwardly rotated his wrist.

He had never worn a formal suit before. The fabric was soft, yet it felt like being locked in armor, forced to abandon his usual casual demeanor. Everything felt unfamiliar, as if the world itself had changed because of it.

Have you had enough fun?

He Changyi said in surprise, "Of course not!"

She magically produced a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, raised her hand to put them on Alexei, then combed his black hair back with her hand, and then examined her work with satisfaction.

Xie Xuejun was so surprised he couldn't close his mouth.

He took a step forward, looking Alexei up and down, left and right, and from all angles.

"Goodness gracious, who could recognize this? They look like completely different people. This, this, this..."

Xie Xuejun struggled to find an adjective, then punched his palm and said with a sudden realization:

"You don't look like a rough, uncultured soldier, but more like a foreign boss running a company in a movie! Alexei, I never expected you to be so good-looking!"

Alexei: ...

Alexei politely said in Chinese, "Thank you so much."

Xie Xuejun waved his hand heartily: "We're all brothers, no need for thanks!"

Alexei seemed to have completely lost the will to speak.

He Changyi was in a great mood and, unusually, showed a kind face to Alexei, saying gently, "Let's go, let's get discharged."

Before leaving the hospital, Alexei abruptly stopped at the boundary between light and darkness.

The winter sun was cold and chilling, offering little warmth; the sun seemed more like an incandescent bulb, yet it stung his eyes as if they were being pierced, or he felt like a vampire who couldn't bear the light.

He Changyi glanced at Alexei, then reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Too prominent bone structure, even awkward to the touch.

He Changyi, however, seemed oblivious to everything and calmly said, "Let's go."

She paused for a moment, then said, "You should go home too."

Alexei didn't say anything, but grabbed He Changyi's hand with his own, gripping it so tightly it hurt.

Together they stepped into the long-lost light.

Apartment building.

Today, Nikolai is staying behind to guard the house. The explosive sound of rock music squeezes out from between the bricks, recklessly slapping the eardrums of everyone who passes by.

Nikolai appeared to be engrossed in the music, but as the door lock made a slight turning sound, he picked up his gun, silently walked to the door, and peered through the peephole—

Oh, so it's Jie... wait, the one behind him is the boss!

Nikolai put down his gun, cheerfully opened the door, and revealed a puppy-like smile, looking exactly like the black dog wagging its tail beside him.

But it wasn't just the two of them who returned today.

A stranger in a suit.

He walked at the back, head slightly bowed, his expression obscured by his glasses.

But for some reason, Nikolai found this person a bit annoying, even though he hadn't even seen the other person's face clearly.

The guest walked to the door but didn't rush in. He listened to the frenetic music coming from inside and glanced at Nikolai, who hadn't yet managed to suppress his goofy grin.

Then, he twitched the corner of his mouth.

“Terrible taste.”

Nikolai: ...?

This rude guy, they've only met for the first time today!

The guest calmly walked through the door and leisurely entered the house. As Nikolai watched the guest's back, a strange sense of familiarity suddenly washed over him.

"...Alexei?"

The guest paused for a moment.

So Nikolai became completely certain and, as if by conditioned reflex, cursed:

"Damn it, it's you again, Alexei, you idiot who doesn't appreciate music!"

The guest didn't turn around, but let out an utterly despicable sneer.

"I'm so glad you haven't changed. Those albums that should have been thrown in the trash can still find buyers. The singers should thank you for your generosity. Oh, by the way, have you paid off your debts yet? Or have you decided to dedicate everything to music, like, say, your body?"

He turned to the side and gave Nikolai a sarcastic look.

"It doesn't look like it's worth much. Can you really sell it?"

Nikolai was furious and charged forward, fists clenched.

"You're slandering me! I sell very well at all times!"

However, before he could actually hit the opponent, the boss's voice suddenly came through.

That's enough.

Nikolai was forced to stop moving and glared at Alexei with hatred.

Alexei raised his hand, adjusted his glasses, and said in a sanctimonious tone, "You're too impulsive."

He even added an overly affectionate "Nick" at the end with a fake smile.

Nikolai: ...

He had already turned around to look for the gun that was placed by the door.

He had to kill Alexei before he could completely vomit up yesterday's breakfast!

He Changyi patted the black dog clinging to his leg and said expressionlessly, "You are not even as rational as a dog."

Alexei glanced at the black dog, who wagged its tail politely at this old acquaintance he hadn't seen in a long time.

So he said, "No, one of us isn't even as good as your dog."

At that moment, Nikolai's brain suddenly kicked in, and he asked sensitively, "Who are you talking about?"

Alexei glanced at him calmly, a slight smile appearing on his face.

Nikolai has confirmed it.

—Damn it, it must be mockery.

He Changyi had to stand between the two to prevent another battle from breaking out.

"I'd rather be in the circus!"

She complained, "At least lions and tigers can understand whips."

Alexei pushed up his glasses again, whether out of habit or because he liked the feeling of being a hypocrite.

“Nick was too impulsive,” he said. “I was just concerned about his career choices.”

Xie Xuejun, who had witnessed the whole thing, muttered under his breath, "You're practically saying he's going to open for business... and even sell his body..."

Alexei, having heard him keenly, said politely, "You may have misunderstood something."

Amidst the mixed gazes of the crowd, he calmly explained, "Isn't becoming a bodyguard selling your body? Yes, even more so, like your life."

Xie Xuejun, Nikolai: ...

He Changyi rolled her eyes, deciding to cut to the chase, and directly ordered Nikolai:

"No fighting, and no revealing Alexei's identity. I don't want any police here."

Nikolai glared at Alexei fiercely and reluctantly said, "Yes."

He Changyi then said to Alexei, "You cannot go out or contact anyone without my permission. You'd better not cause any new trouble until this matter is resolved."

Alexei pursed his lips and nodded silently.

He Changyi gave them one last warning look, then turned and went upstairs; she still had many things to take care of.

When only three men remained downstairs, Nikolai suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, what have you done now?"

He mocked rudely, "Alexei, you're like a mouse hiding under a woman's skirt. Did you go and assassinate the president?"

Alexei ignored him and went back to his usual room.

Instead, Xie Xuejun asked Nikolai curiously, "Alexei's story has been in the newspapers and on television, didn't you know?"

Nikolai said frankly, "Oh, I don't care about the news."

He was a beat slow to react, and asked with great interest, "Did he really assassinate the president? Who's on stage now, a body double?"

Xie Xuejun: ...

He patted Nikolai on the shoulder sympathetically and said, "Never mind, you should just listen to the music."

Now, He Changyi needs to resolve the issues at the precision machining plant as soon as possible.

Since the car bombing, there has been a lot of talk and all sorts of opinions in the city.

Some people say it must have been done by competitors who were trying to physically eliminate her and force her out of the business world.

Some say it must have been the work of skinheads, these walking cancer cells spreading from Mosk in all directions, with news of attacks on foreigners everywhere, and this bombing is the beginning of their presence in Vladimir.

Some people were wondering if it was done by workers at the precision machining factory. Ever since Boss Jong-kook bought the factory's shares at the auction, the factory workers have been saying they'd teach her a lesson; this isn't a place for a private owner to run wild.

The bombing has caused a huge uproar in Vladimir.

As an industrial city with low population mobility and a relatively conservative and closed environment, the city of Frei has never seen such a horrific case before. The most common cases are workplace injuries, as well as ordinary robberies and murders.

A car bomb—this is truly beyond the imagination of ordinary citizens.

This is not Mosk, where more than sixty bombings occur every year, with an average of five bombs exploding in the city every month. Ordinary people can pass by the explosion sites as if it were commonplace, and casually wipe the bloodstains and bits of flesh off their shoes on the doormat before entering.

For the people of Vermont, what they have seen and heard most about are factory explosions caused by violations of safety regulations, rather than a premeditated murder.

Moreover, the murder target was Jong-kook, the owner of the most famous Friendship Store in the city.

The reporters in Vladimir were in an uproar. Finally—!

Finally, we don't have to report on that boring new trick of economists wearing pink shorts in the White House anymore. We can finally have some big news that will grab our attention and boost sales!

Everyone who passes by the newsstand will definitely pay for it!

After seeing the news of the bombing in the newspaper, Sergei brought the children to visit He Changyi, and Nastya brought a bouquet of flowers she had made herself.

"Ms. He, I hope you are doing well! Wishing you good health!"

He Changyi smiled and kissed Nastya's little face twice.

"Don't worry, my little angel, look, I'm fine."

Sasha stood to the side, both envious and embarrassed. Urged by Sergei, he finally handed a palm-sized robot toy to He Changyi with both hands, stammering, "..."

"This is for you..."

He Changyi took the toy, somewhat puzzled, but still thanked her first: "It looks great, is this your favorite toy?"

Nastya nudged Sasha hard, and he bravely explained, "This, this is... it's... it's Optimus Prime..."

He spoke very quickly, saying, "Optimus Prime will turn into a car. He's very strong, the strongest Transformer. He will protect you! No more bad guys will plant bombs in your car anymore!"

He Changyi laughed out loud, solemnly put the toy away, then grabbed Sasha and kissed him on the forehead.

"So thoughtful, my little knight. I will keep the Transformer in the car and take it with me wherever I go."

Sasha covered the spot where she had been kissed and chuckled foolishly.

She's so beautiful, and she smells wonderful...

After seeing Sergei and his family off, He Changyi quietly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

—Tsk, they're clearly siblings, so why does Sasha smell like a chick?

Alexei emerged from behind the door, a half-smile on his face, and said, "Congratulations, it seems you've gained another young admirer."

He Changyi raised an eyebrow and retorted, "Should I offer you my condolences? You don't even have a single admirer."

Alexei calmly replied, "If the admirer you're referring to is Nikolai, I'd rather not have one."

He Changyi: ...

Since Alexei's arrival, Nikolai's sense of crisis has skyrocketed. After much deliberation, he decided it was time to take action.

That night, when everyone had returned to their rooms to rest, he silently took a raw egg from the refrigerator, cracked the shell, and put it directly into his mouth.

Someone behind him asked, "What are you doing?"

Nikolai swallowed the raw egg and said without turning his head, "Raw eggs can enhance reproductive control."

"...What do you want to control?"

Nikolai said earnestly, "Many things, such as durability and stability, are very important, and I have experience with them."

After he finished speaking, he remembered to turn around and look, only to see He Changyi looking at him with an indescribable expression not far away.

Behind her, Alexei was also looking in their direction.

Nikolai: ...? ? ?

He Changyi walked over, but stopped in her tracks just as she was about to pass Nikolai.

"I suggest you go to a regular hospital for treatment instead of relying on folk remedies."

He Changyi even looked somewhat disgusted, as if he had no choice but to educate an illiterate person.

"Even the most famous Indian herbal oil is not as good as one tablet of sildenafil."

Finally, she added with a touch of sympathy, "You're still young, don't avoid seeking medical help... In short, there's still hope for a cure."

"come on."

Nikolai: ...

Alexei finally burst into laughter.

Back in the office.

In response to Alexei's teasing, He Changyi retorted, "I really wonder what you all went through on the battlefield. Nikolai's illness must not be an isolated case, my dear Alyosha. Do you need me to make an appointment for you at the hospital?"

Alexei gave a slight smirk and said politely, "You can check it yourself."

He Changyi didn't move. Suddenly, she raised her hand and grabbed his tie, forcing Alexei to lower his head until their eyes were level.

Alexei.

He Changyi's gaze was excessively direct and aggressive, making her seem almost like a stranger.

Alexei didn't move or speak, but a sudden jolt of electricity ran down his spine.

He Changyi suddenly laughed.

She reached out and patted his face affectionately, her tone gentle yet cold.

What are you thinking about?

He Changyi stood up slowly, loosened his tie, and walked towards the door.

Alexei remained in the same position until he heard the sound of an engine outside, at which point he slowly straightened up.

Precision machining plant, factory manager's office.

He Changyi took the initiative and sat behind the desk, coldly looking at the middle-aged man in front of her.

Two burly bodyguards stood behind the factory manager, like prison guards watching over prisoners.

"Director Olev."

After a long, suffocating silence, He Changyi finally spoke.

"How long are you going to continue fighting against me?"

Factory manager Olev was covered in sweat, but he tried to remain calm and said, "Miss He, I don't understand what you mean."

He added deceptively, "Now that you're the factory owner, you're in charge of everything, so there's no real resistance."

He Changyi sneered and said, "Director Olev, as you know, my jeep exploded after my first inspection of the processing plant."

She sounded like she was talking about someone else.

"With a bang, my car exploded to pieces, and I almost turned into pieces too. And you say 'there was no resistance whatsoever'—"

He Changyi's voice suddenly turned stern: "Did I plant a bomb in my own car?!"

Sweating profusely, Olev struggled to explain, "The police...the police came to the factory, but they didn't find anything wrong here..."

He Changyi interrupted him rudely.

"Because they're all a bunch of uniformed idiots! You could be arrested right now if I asked!"

Factory manager Olev looked at He Changyi in shock, and she continued, "Is there anyone in the city who doesn't know that you planted the car bomb? Is there another factory that can make sophisticated time bombs, and a factory manager who hates me to the core?"

Factory Director Olev was so anxious that he tried to stand up, but his bodyguards rudely pushed him back into his chair.

"No! No! You must have misunderstood! We... none of us wanted to kill you! We just didn't want you to stay in the processing plant..."

He Changyi asked gently, "Oh, is that true?"

Her expression changed, and her tone hardened: "So, you don't want to kill me, you just want to kick me out of the factory?"

He Changyi repeated, "Get out of my factory."

Factory manager Olev realized he had misspoke and, in his panic, knocked over the water glass in front of him.

Water was spreading across the desk, dripping onto the carpet, and the factory manager, Olev, frantically tried to wipe the desk with his sleeves.

"No, boss, I... I didn't mean that, I meant to say..."

However, before he could finish speaking, the factory manager's hand was pressed down.

He Changyi stood up and looked down at him from above, her expression even kind.

"Cooperate with me, and you will not only keep your position as factory manager, but also become incredibly wealthy; but if you oppose me, you will lose everything. I guarantee that you will spend the rest of your life in prison as the mastermind behind the bombing."

He Changyi and Factory Director Olev locked eyes; his dark eyes resembled dangerous whirlpools.

"Director Olev, which one would you choose?"