Chapter 47
Unlike Shu Ziming, Iris and Shu Zili have a fairly good relationship. Moreover, since the latter likes most of the female protagonists in Iris's romance novels, they also have a relationship as author and fan.
Shu Ziming didn't dare drag Iris into the party, but Shu Zili was happy to share men with her. Although the remaining six guys in the rich second-generation study group were of varying quality, it wouldn't have a big impact if it was just for fun. Luckily, Iris had prepared in advance; otherwise, she might have fallen at any moment if Shu Zili had pulled her so excitedly.
Shu Zili stopped and looked back in confusion. Iris also let go of her hand on the chair armrest: "Larine, I was just passing by. I have an appointment."
“What a pity!” She hadn’t seen Iris in so long and really wanted to have a good chat with her. “Hey, Iris, or you can come find me later, and we can share a room tonight.”
Zhuang Zhuoyuan shook his head imperceptibly. Iris knew he was warning her of danger, and indeed, ordinary people should avoid areas frequented by the Flying Tigers. She had just stepped into this mess, and getting out would be relatively easy. But then she thought, what dangers would the wealthy young man, requiring the entire SDU to protect, face? The most likely scenario was kidnapping and extortion. She didn't want her husband to end up having to stand in front of these people with his own body. After quickly weighing the pros and cons, the best outcome was for her to join in as well.
So, I'm sorry. Iris silently apologized in her heart, and approached Zhuang Zhuoyuan step by step under his disapproving gaze. She put down her handbag, removed her hair accessories, took off her earrings, and placed all her jewelry on the reception desk as well: "Young man, I'm not going in, but I've been in contact with Jacob and Larine, so perhaps, I should be checked."
Shu Zili didn't understand her actions and showed the same disgust as Shu Ziming before: "Iris, you don't need to pay attention to them."
But Iris did not stop. The bodyguard spread the suit jacket on the ground, and she even took off her high heels. She raised her hands and stood straight in front of Zhuang Zhuoyuan: "Young man, your female colleague just left. There's no need to trouble her any further. You can help me search. I don't mind."
Qiu Junxuan glanced at Zhuang Zhuoyuan and silently took a step back.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan's gaze deepened, and finally, unable to resist Iris's insistence, he moved to the front to meet her. He wanted to know what she was up to. Iris smiled throughout, turning as he moved. Zhuang Zhuoyuan's hands rested on her shoulders, then her arms, and finally her waist. She lunged forward and hugged him tightly. Shu Zili, after her initial surprise, suddenly understood. She hadn't expected Iris to like this type of man.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan's back stiffened instantly. Even though he had hugged his wife countless times, this was an unprecedented experience. His hands, which he abruptly pulled away, perfectly reinforced Iris's persona. The latter smiled and leaned close to his ear as if flirting. "BB, there are security cameras," Zhuang Zhuoyuan had to remind her. "Inspector Liang will see."
"So what?" the lovers whispered, Iris even trying to bite Zhuang Zhuoyuan's earlobe. Without even looking, he could guess the alluring smile on her face. Zhuang Zhuoyuan had been waiting for her to send him a message, but aside from that final kiss, he received nothing. He was utterly bewildered.
"Oh dear, you left a lipstick mark!" Shu Zili teased, looking at the red mark half on the shirt collar and half on the man's neck, and looked at Iris with new respect: "No wonder Jacob used to like you so much, he probably already realized that you are more than just innocent."
“But it’s obvious I don’t like him,” Iris said hastily, trying to clear her name. She tugged at Zhuang Zhuoyuan’s tie again, gave him a wink she’d learned from him, and then asserted her dominance: “Larine, look closely, this is the man I like. You guys better give him some face and don’t make things difficult for him, or I won’t be able to win him over.”
“OK!” Shu Zili gestured, showing her loyalty, “If Jacob makes things difficult for him again, I will definitely help you.”
Iris smiled sweetly: "Then I'll come back to see the handsome guy again tomorrow."
"No!" Zhuang Zhuoyuan strongly objected, but Iris was only focused on putting back on the things she had taken off, ignoring his words. Shu Zili walked around him with her arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips, as if sizing up prey in a cage. After turning back to Zhuang Zhuoyuan from behind to stop him from stopping Iris, she snapped her fingers, leaned back slightly, and said, "Iris, I think I've found some good points about this man."
“He’s mine.” Iris’s eyes sharpened for the first time.
Shu Zili raised her hands in surrender: "Fine, I won't steal your man. And take it easy, I also have someone I like."
Iris had to leave, but Zhuang Zhuoyuan held her wrist so tightly that it hurt. She frowned, and the grip loosened slightly, but not enough to break free.
"Don't come tomorrow," he emphasized again.
Shu Zili preemptively answered her question: "Why should I?"
Zhuang Zhuoyuan didn't care about the sisterly bond she thought she had; all he wanted was for Iris to leave this highly dangerous place as soon as possible.
Iris could see his urgency, but if she had a choice, she wouldn't want to put herself and her child in a trap. With the two Shu siblings here, the variables were far too great. And right now, she was the best person to keep them calm. When the situation was under control, Zhuang Zhuoyuan would be in less danger.
“Brother, I know you like me, but you don’t have to be so guarded. I have my own things to do, and you should also do your job, shouldn’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself. If there’s a chance, I’d also welcome you to come to my side. Think it over carefully, okay? I’ll leave as soon as I’m done; time is limited.” Iris’s hand slid down his shoulder and touched his chest. From this point on, there was no room for negotiation. Zhuang Zhuoyuan was pushed aside by her, and when he turned around, Iris had already entered the elevator.
Trust me.
He finally saw her lip movements.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan could only do his best.
A private party sounds fancy, but the games were actually pretty cheap. A group of rich kids, oblivious to the realities of life, were throwing food around carelessly, spouting nonsense, and making a complete mess of the room. Zhang Jiguang, covered in crumbs of cream pie, was furious at their wastefulness and lack of remorse, and eventually stormed off. But the mission had to continue. After changing his clothes and calming himself down, he prepared to return to his post. Just as he passed Shu Ziming's room and exchanged a few words with his two B Team colleagues responsible for protecting him, he heard the rich kid's cries for help coming from inside.
The cries for help were loud and urgent. The three men quickly drew their guns, kicked down the door, and stormed inside. What they found instead of a kidnapping scene, was Shu Ziming in his new gear, playing with wax dripping on the bed, one on top of the other. Zhang Jiguang and the others were nearly blinded by the sight.
Because of this blunder, the Flying Tigers' police identities were exposed. Shu Ziming, whose plans had been ruined, was furious and unleashed a torrent of anger on the bank and police personnel. Led by him, the remaining nine wealthy second-generation heirs, eager for drama, echoed his sentiments, continuously pressuring the police. They didn't care about any potential dangers; they just wanted the freedom from surveillance. Who wants to be a prisoner?
But to outsiders, they looked more like a bunch of fools.
The Flying Tigers members, treated like servants and bossed around, were all incredibly frustrated. But as long as the mission wasn't completed, they had to stay at their posts and continue to ensure the safety of this group of rich kids.
After accompanying them through the investment lecture and discussions, it was nearly 10:30 AM before the next activity, an antique appreciation session. Zhuang Zhuoyuan remembered that Iris had class in the morning and assumed she wouldn't come. However, halfway through the antique appreciation class, she appeared in the corridor. She didn't rush in or exchange glances with Zhuang Zhuoyuan and Xie Jiaxing, who were guarding the door. Instead, she checked her phone and called Shu Ziming. Derek, who had been following behind her, showed her a document signed by Liang Rifeng. "Miss specifically requested this," Derek explained, "We reached an agreement with Inspector Liang to become unofficial personnel assisting with this mission."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan was clearly angry; he hadn't expected Iris to use Liang Sir to pressure him.
Meanwhile, Iris's call went through. Xie Jiaxing's ears twitched, and he heard her commandingly say to Shu Ziming, "Jacob, I'm outside. Come out and open the door." He suddenly realized that she might already know about how this spoiled brat had ordered Zhuang Zhuoyuan to open the door for him yesterday.
Shu Ziming still remembered Zhang Jiguang's annoying appearance when he pointed a gun at them last night. Knowing that he was just an undercover agent sent by the police and not a real rich second generation, he became even more unscrupulous and thought of ways to mess with him.
Iris sat to the side, keeping his distance from the others, coldly observing a group of people who couldn't even appreciate the simplest things, playfully pretending to play house with the colorful bottles on the table. The teacher rambled on about identifying antiques, but Iris showed little interest, particularly towards the items he was using as teaching aids, most of which were from the Qianlong era. While the craftsmanship of that time was good, the gaudy aesthetics were truly unappealing. If it were a few decades earlier, and it were items from his father, the Yongzheng Emperor, Iris might have given them a second glance.
Shu Ziming didn't care what these things looked like; he only knew one thing: Zhang Jiguang couldn't afford to pay for any of the items on the table. When the teacher announced that everyone could pick them up and examine them themselves, his mischievous side kicked in: "Ah Guang, come on, take a look at this."
Shu Ziming feigned innocence, and Zhang Jiguang, without thinking much of it, was about to reach out to take it when Iris stopped him. "Wait," Iris called after them, then raised her hand to ask the teacher, "I remember that when passing antiques, to avoid disputes, the item should be placed on the table first, and then another person should take it, right?"
"Yes, yes!" The teacher was happy that finally someone cared about the lesson.
Iris pointed to the ugly vase in Shu Ziming's hand: "Jacob, did you hear me? You should put it down first, then let A-Guang take it. Otherwise, it will be troublesome if it breaks. Although this thing is not very pretty, it will not be cheap at an auction house."
Zhang Jiguang then realized that Shu Ziming was trying to frame him. He angrily sternly rebuked Shu Ziming, refusing to take the vase back, and returned to his seat. Finally, he gave Iris a grateful smile. Thank goodness for her help; otherwise, that bastard would have made a huge mess of things.
Unable to carry out his revenge, Shu Ziming remained resentful, which only fueled his growing dislike for the police. The more they opposed his actions, the more he wanted to carry them out. When a woman of above-average looks walked by, Shu Ziming chased after her without a second thought, intending to strike up a conversation.
Iris, who had been lagging behind and talking to Shu Zili, saw a commotion ahead and realized Zhuang Zhuoyuan had fallen behind the group because of Shu Ziming. She quickly signaled Derek to catch up. Coincidentally, a worker who hadn't received his wages came up, mistook Shu Ziming for his enemy, and splashed a bucket of paint directly at him. Zhang Jiguang, who was trying to calm Shu Ziming down, immediately rushed forward to shield him from the attack. Derek witnessed Shu Ziming being covered in paint from head to toe, and he clicked his tongue and took two steps back.
Once the suspect was under control, Zhuang Zhuoyuan stood up, surveyed his surroundings, and immediately reported the incident to Zhan Hantao. They escorted the suspect upstairs, allowing Derek to leave successfully. Before leaving, he patted Zhuang Zhuoyuan on the shoulder: "Luckily, you weren't the one blocking the paint, otherwise I would have been covered in red. That smell was truly awful."
He left Iris alone on the other end, Zhuang Zhuoyuan's expression full of disapproval: "Derek, you don't need to pay attention to me, just protect Iris."
"It's my duty." Derek shrugged and added, "Don't worry, Miss isn't as stupid or weak as you think."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan became even more worried; this bodyguard didn't seem very reliable.
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