Chapter 66 The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Power (Revised)

The night will always pass.

Before dawn, the inky darkness seemed to be diluted by water, and even without the lights on, the layout of the room and the outline of the furniture could be seen.

And the expressions of the people around me.

Having not slept all night, He Changyi looked unwell and somewhat tired.

The little black dog was lying at her feet, fast asleep and oblivious to everything.

Andrei suddenly spoke.

"You can go and rest."

He Changyi roused himself and tried to speak in a relaxed tone: "I don't have the habit of leaving guests to keep watch alone at night."

Andrei fell silent again.

Just when He Changyi thought he wouldn't speak again, he suddenly spoke:

"You don't need to feel guilty."

Andrei didn't explain why he felt guilty, but He Changyi understood what he meant almost immediately.

"I'm just a little sorry."

Andrei said in a low voice, "You're always apologizing... but it's unnecessary."

He Changyi asked him, "Do you really feel indifferent, or is it just because you don't want to forgive?"

Andrei raised his hand, then restrained himself and lowered it without anyone noticing.

He ultimately simply said, "Neither."

He Changyi looked like she was on trial.

You'll regret this.

"must."

Andrei finally looked He Changyi in the eye; his blue eyes seemed to be burning with suppressed flames.

"Then don't let me regret it."

He Changyi sighed.

She reached out and touched Andrei's cheek.

"You've put me in a difficult position."

She was a reckless and unrestrained person who, having broken free from the constraints of the original book, indulged herself completely. She was lustful, greedy, audacious, and did whatever she pleased without regard for the consequences.

But Andrei was too serious, which put her in a difficult position.

well.

If only he weren't so serious.

Andrei grabbed He Changyi's hand and looked straight into her eyes.

"You don't have to put yourself in a difficult position."

But he stopped there and didn't press the matter further.

Andrei knew better than anyone that the woman before him was a passionate yet ruthless woman, a cruel lover.

She cares about everyone, yet she doesn't care about anyone.

She doesn't even care about herself.

How terrible, he actually fell in love with a heartless monster.

Despicable, hateful, adorable, monster.

He wanted to kill her.

He wanted to kill himself.

He Changyi had no idea what Andrei was thinking. He looked extremely depressed, with a pain in his eyes that she couldn't understand, and the hand he was holding was gripping her so tightly that it hurt.

She wanted to end his suffering, so she said, "It's unnecessary, really unnecessary."

"No!"

Andrei's tone sounded excessively intense, almost unlike him.

He calmed himself down and said in a low voice, "You brought about the beginning, so to be fair, I will announce the end."

He Changyi asked him, "What if the answer at the end is still not the one you want?"

Andrei fell silent again.

Just when He Changyi thought he wouldn't speak again, she heard him say:

"I will make it the answer I want."

"anyway."

He Changyi sighed again.

Sigh, why do they all have to be so serious? It's putting her in a difficult position.

Andrei released He Changyi's hand.

"I'm sorry, I acted impulsively. Please don't take it to heart."

He Changyi inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

She always kills without caring about the consequences, so being chased down after flirting with someone and then demanding an explanation is more troublesome than being robbed at gunpoint.

Okay, okay, she knew she couldn't pretend nothing had happened, but at least for now, she wanted everyone to pretend nothing had happened.

"You're too tired, and so am I. We both need to rest."

As the first rays of morning sunlight shone through the room, she looked around. The windows were broken, there were burn marks on the walls, and the floor was covered with shards of glass…

Clearly, this place is not suitable for human habitation for the time being.

"I know a pretty good hotel in the city center. If you don't mind, perhaps we could go somewhere else?"

When it was broad daylight, a bold neighbor approached the building to check the situation and found the door locked, glass shards scattered all over the floor, and the house empty.

He Changyi arranged for Geng Zhi and the others to move into a hotel in the city center. At the same time, he contacted the landlord to terminate the lease, and the remaining rent and deposit were used as compensation for the damage to the house.

The landlord's voice on the phone was filled with excitement; this was a large sum of money, enough for him to renovate the entire house!

After hanging up the phone, He Changyi looked at Andrei beside her and asked tactfully:

"Don't you need to go back to work in Moscow?"

Although it's Saturday, theoretically speaking, shouldn't leaders take the lead in working overtime?

After resting at the hotel, Andrei looked much better.

Upon hearing He Changyi's words, he simply said calmly, "Change your clothes, and I'll take you to meet a few people."

He Changyi asked, "Who are you seeing?"

Andrei said, "Mayor."

He Changyi: ?!

Andrei's meeting wasn't an immediate one, but rather after nightfall, he drove his Volga sedan, carrying He Changyi, to the grand theater in the city center.

It was early summer, and the nights were still a bit chilly.

As He Changyi, wearing her newly bought evening gown, was about to get out of the car, Andrei quickly walked around from the driver's seat and extended his hand to her.

He Changyi hesitated for a moment before placing her hand on Andrei's. Andrei immediately gripped her hand tightly, initially using too much force, but then restrained himself and relaxed his grip.

"It's beautiful," he said softly.

He Changyi looked at Andrei, who had changed into a suit, his blond hair was perfectly styled, and his azure eyes made him look like an elegant little prince.

Taking such a pretty girl out with me, even if I don't go to see the mayor, the trip is still worthwhile.

He Changyi reached out and smoothed out the wrinkles on Andre's suit, smiling as he said:

"You are beautiful too."

Andrei smiled slightly, the gloom in his eyes vanishing, making him look even more like the young policeman he had first met.

The two walked hand in hand into the quaint and elegant grand theater, where the Mosk Ballet Company was performing and the theater was packed.

Andrei led He Changyi to a private room and pushed the door open. To her surprise, the room was empty.

However, Andrei didn't seem too surprised.

He Changyi suppressed her doubts and sat down as a lady, pretending to be one when Andrei pulled out a chair for her.

The ballet is "Giselle," about a beautiful peasant girl who is deceived in love by a nobleman and dies in grief. She becomes a ghost and has the opportunity to become a ghost couple with the nobleman, but in the end, she takes pity on him and spares his life.

This play is a standard tragedy, mainly because the nobleman's son is still alive.

The ballet company from Mosk is not only highly skilled, but also incredibly beautiful, with each member being stunningly gorgeous, captivating all who behold them.

He Changyi, however, did not forget the purpose of his visit.

While others were admiring the dancers' movements, she was observing the guests in the front row of the audience and the people in the boxes opposite.

Who exactly is the biggest local tyrant?

Andrei suddenly tightened his grip on He Changyi's hand; he had been holding her hand ever since they entered the theater.

He Changyi looked over in confusion, but he leaned over and his breath brushed against her hair. From a distance, it looked like a kiss he couldn't help but give.

Completely enveloped beneath him, He Changyi asked softly:

"Andrei, do you just want to invite me to see a ballet?"

Although she wasn't really in the mood to appreciate art right now, she had to admit that the male ballet dancer's pants were incredibly tight. She really wondered if he was stuffing socks into his underwear, cough.

Andrei stared intently at He Changyi, as if the invisible barrier between them the night before had completely vanished.

"If I said yes, would you be angry?"

He Changyi thought about it carefully before saying, "No."

She would never be angry with Andrei.

Andrei smiled again.

He lowered his head, not to kiss her, but to affectionately nuzzle He Changyi's nose like a small animal.

He Changyi irritably put her hand on his shoulder, feeling as if a large, enthusiastic golden retriever was lying on her body, with the same fur color.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Before the door could be opened, the person outside pushed it open and entered, saying warmly:

"My dear little Andrei, when did you come to Vladimir? Why didn't you tell your Uncle Sokolov?!"

He Changyi paused, exchanged a glance with Andrei, and he calmly straightened up, greeting the newcomer:

"Uncle Sokolov, it's been a long time. My family and I miss you very much."

"Uncle Sokolov" walked into the private room with a big laugh, gave Andrei a big hug, and exaggeratedly made kissing sounds on his face.

"How is your father lately? Is he in good health? I heard that the President relies on him very much and sees him in his office every day. As a friend, I am truly happy for your father!"

Andrei's father?

He Changyi had never heard Andrei talk about his family. When he was a junior policeman, he was quite poor. The shirt he wore under his uniform was patched, not to mention the endless mashed potatoes.

If he has a prominent high-ranking official father, why would he be standing in the cold wind in front of the train station?

However, since the October events, Andrei's promotions seem to have been unusually rapid...

Even if he were to put morality and physical body on the shelf for sale simultaneously, even if he were to sell it to Su Xunzong's fat daughter, theoretically he couldn't get such a high price, unless the buyer was the president himself (...).

He Changyi kept her doubts to herself, gracefully stood up, put on a false air of elegance, and slowly walked to Andrei's side.

Andre awkwardly reached out and put his arm around He Changyi, introducing him to the newcomer:

"This is my friend. You may call her whatever you like."

Then, he introduced to He Changyi:

“This is Mayor Sokolov, our family’s best friend, he’s like an uncle to me.”

Mayor Sokolov shook hands with He Changyi in a gentlemanly manner, but then turned to Andrei and said ambiguously:

"Just friends?"

Andrei simply smiled without saying a word, leaving much to the imagination.

Mayor Sokolov's expression became even more understanding, and he turned to ask He Changyi:

Are you a Chinese student studying abroad?

He Changyi was quick-witted and immediately guessed the true relationship between Andrei and this so-called "Uncle Sokolov," as well as his true intentions.

However, she didn't want to follow the path laid out by Andrei; a vague nepotism wasn't enough to guarantee her safety.

He Changyi smiled warmly: "Mr. Mayor, I am a multinational businessman, and I do some small business in this city."

Mayor Sokolov's eyes darted around.

"Oh, I see. You're a big fan of Korean goods. Korean products are all the rage lately, including clothes, canned goods, and even color TVs. It must be your doing."

He Changyi said with a smile, "I'm just a small porter, moving Chinese goods out to Russia, contributing some freight to the train station, some customs duties, and finally some taxes to the tax bureau. That's probably my biggest contribution."

Mayor Sokolov smiled like a kind Santa Claus.

"You are truly an honest businessman. I have hardly ever collected taxes from the people of Zhongguo before. It seems I should encourage everyone to buy more Zhongguo products, in recognition of your contribution!"

He Changyi affectionately linked arms with Andrei, her smile growing even sweeter.

"Andrei will be very happy."

Andrei looked down at He Changyi, who winked at him, so he had no choice but to say:

"Yes, I am indeed very happy."

Mayor Sokolov was even more certain.

"Andrei, you should have told me sooner! It's not a gentleman's job to leave a beautiful young lady to struggle alone in a strange city! If I had known sooner, your business would have been much smoother!"

He was referring to "you".

He assumed that He Changyi was Andrei's business agent.

The modern-day Gisele is once again deceived by the upper class in the name of love, and this time she loses more than just her virginity.

However, Mayor Sokolov made a mistake.

He Changyi was never Giselle, while Andrei was more like an unfortunate farm girl.

Andrei smiled politely, but offered no explanation.

Mayor Sokolov then said, “Andrei, I know you want to rely on your own efforts and are even unwilling to use your father’s name, but sometimes the strength of your friends is your strength. We are a whole, aren’t we?”

Andrei just smiled and didn't say anything.

He Changyi gently patted Andrei and said coquettishly, "Andrei, I think you should listen to the elders' advice. You promised me~"

She almost vomited after saying that.

But it worked. Mayor Sokolov said to He Changyi warmly, "Beautiful lady, come and sit in my office when you have time. I think we will have a lot in common."

He Changyi smiled.

"I will."

That's great! She really enjoys the feeling of being a bully by taking advantage of others!

After the dance performance ended, He Changyi not only met the mayor of Vladimir, but also the city's police chief and tax chief...

They were all incredibly kind and approachable. When they learned that He Changyi (behind Andrei) wanted to open a Zhongguo Department Store in Fushi, they immediately offered their assistance. From site selection to registration, everything went smoothly without her having to worry about a thing, and they didn't even ask for any investment.

What a wonderful group of people!

Andrei spoke very little, and his coldness was somewhat impolite, but clearly everyone was actively trying to find a reasonable explanation for him.

It's all those thieves' fault!

They disturbed Mr. Andrei's sleep!

The police chief solemnly stated that he would handle this horrific robbery case with the utmost severity, speed, and strictness, and would absolutely not let a single criminal go unpunished, restoring peace and order to the city!

He Changyi raised his wine glass and clapped enthusiastically.

That's so well said!

Honestly, apart from Andrei, she had never seen such an impartial police officer. It was so moving that she burst into tears. I'm sure the thieves would be just as touched.

Andrei simply looked at He Changyi with a smile that he himself was unaware of.

Are you tired?

He Changyi, understanding the implication, said, "It is indeed a bit late."

Andrei then bid farewell to everyone and left the Grand Theatre with He Changyi.

As she went out, the night wind was a bit chilly, and He Changyi instinctively crossed her arms. The next moment, a suit jacket was draped over her shoulders.

Andrei, wearing a white shirt, wrapped He Changyi in his suit jacket and walked quickly toward the car, half-embracing her.

He Changyi rested her face against Andrei's neck.

She suddenly spoke up: "Thank you."

Andrei's pace slowed imperceptibly by a beat.

"Just thank you?"

He Changyi said, "How about I give you 10% of the shares?"

This is the greatest sincerity she can offer!

He was willing to lend her his name, to give her the "Andrei" title, so that He Changyi would encounter far fewer troubles in the future. Even if it was just a 10% stake, it would be worth it.

Andrei's pace returned to normal.

"I don't want your shares."

He Changyi said, "Andrei, you have no idea what shares mean to a businessman. To be honest, even if I were to get married, I wouldn't give my husband more shares than this."

marry?

Andrei didn't know whether to laugh or get angry.

Finally, he dragged He Changyi and shoved her into the car.

"You won't have the chance to marry anyone else, I promise."

He Changyi thought about it carefully and suddenly realized.

"Don't worry, even if I want to get married, I will definitely sign a prenuptial agreement first."

Andrei: ...

Andrei observed He Changyi carefully. Her eyes were much more moist than usual, and the blush on her face showed through her makeup, indicating that she was drunk.

"How much did you drink?"

The theater boxes offer drinks for guests to enjoy while watching the dance performance. After He Changyi made connections with the local officials, he was in high spirits and turned the elegant drinking session into a drinking contest like the heroes of Liangshan.

No one dared to force her to drink, so she drank on her own.

Fueled by alcohol, He Changyi became unrestrained, playfully pinching Andrei's cheek and calling him "beauty" with tender affection.

Andrei had never seen this side of He Changyi before, and said with a headache:

"I will absolutely never let you drink again."

He Changyi said, "There's an old saying in China: 'People speak the truth when they're drunk.' Don't you want to hear my honest opinion?"

Andrei was indeed tempted.

"So what's your honest opinion?" he asked in a low voice.

Looking at that pretty little face, He Changyi said with eyes full of tears:

"If 10% of the shares isn't enough, how about 30%? You can't possibly want 50%, that would be too greedy..."

Andrei turned his gaze away expressionlessly.

He knew he shouldn't have any expectations of a drunkard!

Andrei struggled to bring He Changyi back to the hotel, and helped her into the room despite the strange looks from the hotel staff.

He Changyi shook off Andrei's hand, pounced on the carpet, hugged the dog, and rolled around on the spot.

The little black dog was wagging its tail to welcome its owner when she pinned it down heavily, its exposed face filled with confusion and shock.

The human was too heavy, pressing down on it so much that its tongue protruded and drooped weakly at its mouth.

Andrei: ...

He had to use some effort to put He Changyi on the bed. The little black dog immediately got up from the ground, tucked its tail between its legs, and scurried away along the wall, afraid of being abused by the drunkard again.

As Andrei was about to leave, he turned and saw her dazed eyes. He couldn't resist and went over to her, asking in a low voice:

Do you already have someone you'd like to marry?

He still cared a lot about the phrase "prenuptial agreement".

He Changyi thought seriously for a while before slurring her words, "Who is my marriage partner?"

Andrei: ...Looks like he's really drunk.

So he changed the question: "Who do you like?"

He Changyi's answer this time was much more decisive.

"Money! US dollars! Chinese yuan! Rubles... even if it's just barely acceptable."

Andrei took a deep breath.

I mean humans.

He Changyi fell into a long period of deep thought.

Just when Andrei thought he wouldn't get an answer, she finally spoke:

"No."

He Changyi solemnly declared, "I hate humans! If a puppy were to run for president, I would vote for a kitten!"

Andrei thought to himself that he had asked the wrong person.

But he still wouldn't give up and asked again, "Do you hate me?"

He Changyi said slowly, "Of course not, I like you."

Andrei couldn't help but laugh; this was truly the best news he had ever heard.

But He Changyi continued speaking to herself:

"I like Grandma Vitalie, I like Sister Xia, I like Yelena, I like Nastya..."

Andrei's expression was already a little off.

He Changyi is still compiling the list.

"Old Wu, just make do with him. Geng Zhi is barely acceptable, Xie Xun is not bad either, and Yan Zhengchuan can be included for now. Oh, right, Alexei."

She said, "I like Alexei too."

Andrei: ...

He asked one of the worst questions in the world.