After Zhang Lu drove Ji Tian and Meng Hao away, the others who attended Zhao Shiyan’s birthday party also gradually left.
Inside the clubhouse, only the four ladies—Chu Mengyao, Zhao Shiyan, Zhang Lu, and Shen Yahut—remained, with other security personnel lurking around. Only Ye Fan, a man, stayed by their side.
"Ye Fan, thank you for saving my life. I’ll never forget your great kindness and virtue," Zhao Shiyan earnestly bowed in gratitude, her eyes shining with an unusual light.
"You’re welcome. You’re Mengyao’s friend. If I hadn’t encountered you, your life or death wouldn’t concern me. But since I have, I can’t just stand by." Ye Fan spoke as if it were a matter of course.
Ye Fan’s emotionless words made Zhao Shiyan slightly sad. No matter what, she was a great beauty, and she had already looked at Ye Fan with unusual eyes, yet this was his attitude, which made her feel bitter.
"Is my charm not enough? Why does he hold me at such a distance?" Zhao Shiyan murmured bitterly.
She didn’t think much more about it. In her mind, Ye Fan and Chu Mengyao had an unusual relationship, possibly her sister’s beloved. As Chu Mengyao’s sister, she naturally wouldn’t steal a man, and the unrealistic thoughts in her heart quickly dissipated.
"Shiyan, are the troubles you encountered very serious?"
Chu Mengyao noticed Zhao Shiyan’s unease and hurriedly spoke. She actually quite enjoyed hearing Ye Fan’s words. Calling her Mengyao sounded pleasant, and more importantly, ignoring Zhao Shiyan’s unusual gaze was what made Chu Mengyao happiest. Although she and Zhao Shiyan were close sisters, seeing her sister look at Ye Fan with an unusual expression made Chu Mengyao uncomfortable.
"In the future, I’ll have to spend my days in a safe house, almost like being in prison." Zhao Shiyan mumbled bitterly.
She was used to roaming freely outside, and the thought of losing her freedom in the coming days felt no different from being imprisoned. The birthday party was meant to be a wild break from it all, but the sudden assassination attempt disrupted her plans.
Suddenly, Zhao Shiyan was eager to party, and loudly said, "Mengyao, let’s go sing and drink, just you and Shen Yahut with me. After this farewell, who knows if I’ll get to see you again. If I really die, it’ll be an eternal goodbye. Before that, I want to get thoroughly drunk and enjoy myself to the fullest."
"Isn’t that a bad idea? Even though I want to accompany you, we still need Officer Zhang’s approval. You’re not in a good situation right now." Chu Mengyao was quite willing to fulfill Zhao Shiyan’s request.
"Officer Zhang? I’m begging you." Zhao Shiyan pleaded.
"It’s not like you’re going to die. Do you need to be ? With so many people protecting you, even if you wanted to die, you’d need my consent." Zhang Lu huffed with displeasure but didn’t refuse Zhao Shiyan’s request. After all, it was within her mission’s scope. Since she allowed Zhao Shiyan to take the lead this time, she wouldn’t unreasonably object. Generously, she said, "Play as you like, I have no objection."
The reason Zhang Lu agreed so readily was that she firmly believed that the assassin’s carefully planned attempt had failed, leaving no possibility for a second attempt. Besides, with her protection, she believed no one could hurt Zhao Shiyan.
Before meeting Ye Fan, Chu Mengyao was worried. Now her mood was much better, but seeing Zhao Shiyan’s request, she naturally couldn’t refuse and could only join Zhao Shiyan in a wholehearted play, risking her life to accompany her sister.
"Ye Fan?" Chu Mengyao looked at Ye Fan, seeking his opinion. Her meaning was clear: that if she got drunk, she wanted Ye Fan to take her back.
"With me here, I guarantee to get you safely to your bed." Ye Fan vowed confidently.
"What’s happening?" Zhao Shiyan was puzzled. Judging by Ye Fan’s tone, it seemed he could enter Chu Mengyao’s villa, which made her quite confused.
"Miss Zhao, you may not know this, but Ye Fan is living in the president’s villa. A man and a woman, dry wood and fire, who knows how long they’ve been living together." Shen Yahut whispered close to Zhao Shiyan’s ear.
"What? You two are living together!" Zhao Shiyan was taken aback, her mouth wide open as she scanned the two of them.
"What do you mean by living together? My villa is so big; speak clearly and don’t make it sound so ambiguous, okay?" Chu Mengyao was slightly embarrassed, her face a bit red.
"Have you two done that? To what extent has your relationship developed?" Zhao Shiyan didn’t believe Chu Mengyao’s words. She was sure they must have something going on, knowing there must be more behind it based on her understanding of Chu Mengyao.
"Stop the nonsense, are you still going to have me accompany you or not? If you continue to slander, I’ll leave right away." Chu Mengyao felt guilty inside. She didn’t even know what her feelings for Ye Fan were, but hearing Zhao Shiyan say that, she couldn’t help but blush.
"Embarrassed, Mengyao, you’re embarrassed, haha." Zhao Shiyan laughed loudly.
Ye Fan didn’t quite understand Zhao Shiyan’s words. He was clueless about matters of romance between men and women, something forbidden by his past profession.
"Oh Mengyao, do you still consider me a sister? You brought a man to the villa and didn’t tell me, keeping it all under wraps pretty nicely." Zhao Shiyan continued to complain, looking particularly haughty.
Her mind clicked, and she suddenly realized an even more unbelievable problem. Ye Fan was going to take Chu Mengyao safely to her bed, but how? What would happen if Chu Mengyao got drunk?
"Ye Fan, do you have the villa access code?" Zhao Shiyan looked with particular intensity.
"Yes, I do." Ye Fan answered, confused.
"Ah!" Zhao Shiyan screamed, suddenly standing up and stomping her feet hysterically, yelling, "This world is crazy, Mengyao, you’re hiding too much. If you dare say you and Ye Fan are just ordinary friends again, I’ll jump off the building. Not possible that you shared your villa’s code with anyone, not even your parents know it, only your sisters do, yet you, you, you actually shared it with him."
Zhao Shiyan was apprehensive, so excited she was losing her composure.
"Is it true?" Shen Yahut was astonished. She knew the president and Ye Fan lived in the same villa, but the specific access code, she didn’t know Ye Fan would know either.
"Are you trying to kill someone with these surprises." Chu Mengyao’s face turned red, utterly embarrassed.
"It’s just a code, no need to make a fuss. Mengyao didn’t tell you because she feared you had ulterior motives. What’s strange about me knowing it?" Ye Fan criticized matter-of-factly.
"You’re really something else, bigger than the smell of a bathroom."
"Just a code? Is it really just a code issue? It signifies much more."
Zhao Shiyan and Shen Yahut exchanged a glance, looking strangely at Ye Fan.