Chapter 21: Manado
[Manado means ‘on the far coast’ or ‘in the distance’.]
Lin Jia was lost in thought the entire way, her mind heavy, and her whole demeanor absentminded.
Yang Yu, fully aware of what was on her mind, deliberately put on a sorrowful expression and said to her,
“I know what you’re thinking. If you don’t want me to go with you, I’ll just see you off at the airport and leave.”
As he spoke, there was even a trace of sadness in his eyes, as if he might shed a tear. With acting skills like this, it was a shame he wasn’t an actor.
Lin Jia forced a smile and replied, “You’re overthinking it. I was just feeling a little sentimental.”
“That’s good to hear.” Yang Yu patted his chest in relief and let out a breath.
Lin Jia rolled her eyes at him, amused yet exasperated.
“Let’s go through security then,” Yang Yu suggested.
Lin Jia looked at him in disbelief and said with irritation, “You might look smart, but how can you be so clueless? We haven’t even bought our tickets yet. What security check are you talking about?”
Her voice was loud enough that people around them turned to look, and Yang Yu felt so embarrassed he wished he could disappear into the ground.
Before traveling to this world, he had been a typical homebody who had never flown before. Even after arriving here, the only time he had taken a flight was when he was directly driven to his private jet. So naturally, he had no idea how the process worked.
Trying to maintain his composure, he said, “Relax, I wouldn’t sell you off. Just follow me.”
At the same time, he was secretly cursing his subordinates for their inefficiency. It had taken them over an hour just to get from Ding Dian’s place to the airport.
At that moment, eight men in black suits and sunglasses strode toward Yang Yu. Seeing these imposing figures approaching, Lin Jia grew nervous and instinctively hid behind him.
In a hushed voice, she asked, “Did you get on the bad side of some gangsters? We should run!”
The men stopped in front of Yang Yu and bowed respectfully. “Mr. Yang,” they greeted in unison.
Yang Yu nodded and asked, “Is everything ready?”
The leader of the group responded, “Your private jet is prepared, and the flight path has been arranged. We can take off at any time.”
“Lead the way,” Yang Yu ordered, grabbing Lin Jia’s hand and walking off, drawing envious and curious stares from the crowd.
Women nearby whispered among themselves, filled with jealousy, wishing they could take Lin Jia’s place.
With eight bodyguards in tow, Yang Yu and Lin Jia boarded his luxurious private jet.
“Wow! This is insane! Such a luxurious private jet—what brand is it?” Lin Jia exclaimed in shock.
Yang Yu actually had no idea, but to impress her, he called over a beautiful flight attendant to explain.
“It’s a Boeing 747-8 VIP,” the stewardess said with admiration. “The cabin space reaches 4,700 square feet (about 436 square meters) and includes a dining room for 14 people, a conference room, a lounge, and an office. With such premium facilities, its price is naturally high—about $370 million (roughly 2.3 billion yuan).”
Hearing the astronomical price, Lin Jia was dumbfounded.
Yang Yu, unfazed, casually said, “If you like it, I’ll give it to you.” He gazed at her affectionately.
Lin Jia pretended not to hear him and ignored the remark.
Yang Yu felt slightly defeated but wasn’t discouraged. Throughout the flight, he kept trying to engage her in conversation, but ever since they had boarded, she had seemed uninterested and responded to him halfheartedly.
Lin Jia knew Yang Yu was rich, but she hadn’t expected him to be this wealthy. A man like him pursuing her didn’t feel real. She felt that their worlds were too far apart and that they weren’t a good match, so she decisively kept her distance.
If Yang Yu knew that his attempt to show off had backfired this badly, he would have coughed up blood on the spot.
The flight passed in silence, and five hours later, they landed. A hotel had already been arranged in advance.
For the next two days, Lin Jia’s attitude toward Yang Yu was noticeably colder. She mostly acted on her own.
Yang Yu racked his brain but couldn’t figure out where things had gone wrong. Before the flight, he had been making progress, but now everything had taken a turn for the worse. He was completely baffled.
But if he couldn’t figure it out, so what? He had money.
Without hesitation, he hired several so-called “experts” in the art of pursuing women to come up with a strategy.
The final verdict? The classic “hero saving the beauty” combined with a “sacrificial act.”
Listening to their suggestions, Yang Yu was in disbelief. His expression screamed, Are you kidding me? These outdated tricks?
Even though he had doubts, he figured it was worth a shot. A drowning man would grasp at straws.
Staring at the so-called experts, Yang Yu warned, “If this plan doesn’t work, I’ll send all of you to Africa to work in the mines.”
The experts trembled in fear, and one of them quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“As long as Mr. Yang follows our plan,” he assured, “success is guaranteed!”