"Let’s give it a try, but no promises."
Lu Liang was speechless, knowing their purpose, but he didn’t own the New York Stock Exchange, and couldn’t just get through whenever he wanted.
Helping wasn’t free of charge, true; but you had to be of actual help to have the right to make demands, otherwise you’re just a Joker. f
"Boss Lu, how about we take a trip to New York at the end of the month? Let’s test the waters," Little Wang suddenly suggested.
For the past few months, due to IPO audits, they had to run between East and West, so he borrowed a private plane from Old Wang to ensure a worry-free journey.
"You scout out the situation first, and then I’ll co over later," Lu Liang said.
He thought of Zhuo Yifan, who should have arrived in Edinburgh by now. Unless sothing unexpected happened, he would have to make a trip there before heading over to New York to check things out.
Little Wang looked to Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei, who both nodded in agreent with this decision.
Boss Lu’s appearance fee was bound to be high, and money probably wouldn’t solve it; if there weren’t really thorny issues, it was best to keep him from making an appearance.
Little Wang nodded: "Alright, I’ll scout ahead."
anwhile, the plane carrying Zhuo Yifan landed at Edinburgh Airport.
Although it was his first ti abroad, he had made ticulous plans ahead of ti, contacting a local Chinese guide early and renting an apartnt near the University of Edinburgh.
"Mr. Zhuo, are you here to visit a friend?"
The Chinese guide was all smiles and very talkative, mainly because Zhuo Yifan was generous, offering a daily fee of five hundred British Pounds, which was about 4100 RMB.
Just two days of work for him. Even with Edinburgh’s high cost of living, that was enough for a family to live on for a month.
"Yes, I am here to visit a friend."
Zhuo Yifan stared blankly at the white clouds and blue sky outside the window, still thinking about how to complete the task Boss Lu had assigned him.
At first, he considered hiring a private detective, since Boss Lu had provided him with virtually unlimited funds, but after much consideration, he decided against it.
The hottest new na in finance, both dostically and abroad, had sent him, his secretary, all the way to Edinburgh, just to investigate a girl.
It was a task so full of imaginative possibilities that, for Boss Lu’s reputation’s sake, he decided to conduct the investigation personally and keep it as secret as possible.
"Did you have a fight with your girlfriend? She’s ignoring you, so you ca looking for her?" the Chinese guide asked with a smile.
Zhuo Yifan was young, around twenty-five or twenty-six, and looked very much like a student, but the recruiting season was already past.
If he were a returning student, there would be no need for a guide.
On business? Zhuo Yifan wasn’t of the age typical for a businessman.
After eliminating other options, that seed to be the remaining answer.
Zhuo Yifan admitted, feeling guilty, "Sothing like that."
He hoped Boss Lu wouldn’t bla him; he had adopted this identity for the sake of the mission.
The Chinese guide laughed heartily: "I’ve lived in England for over ten years. I’ve been to the Sherlock Hols site on Baker Street a few tis and have so basic observational skills."
"..."
Zhuo Yifan was at a loss for words. He wanted to say that Baker Street was real, but Sherlock Hols was not, and the site was just based on the novels.
Back when he was prepping for his English Level 8 exam, he had practically worn out the original Sherlock Hols Mystery Collection.
Then, the guide posed another question, "Which college is that girl in? My daughter also studies there, I could look for her."
Zhuo Yifan hastily replied, "School of Education."
Edinburgh was one of the oldest universities in the world and a highly reputed research institution, comprising nine colleges.
Su Wanyu applied to the School of Education, and from her background, she would likely go into the education field in the future.
"Damn, my daughter’s there too! Buddy, I’ve always believed education is a lucrative field, especially private tutoring for bilingual Chinese and English speakers. You can easily charge thirty British Pounds per class."
"That also has a lot to do with our country getting stronger. Chinese people are eager to see the world, and foreigners want to understand the mysterious East Country. You wouldn’t believe it—last ti during the worship ceremony, those foreigners thought we belonged to so voodoo cult—it killed ..."
Being a guide was a job for chatterboxes, but if soone was introverted, they probably couldn’t be one.
Zhuo Yifan, needing help, just patiently listened until finally asking, "Uncle, what’s your daughter’s na? Could you introduce ? I have sothing to ask her."
"My daughter is Zheng Xiaoxuan. I think she’s off today—I’ll call her to et us downstairs at the apartnt."
The guide’s face bead with joy; breaking up a temple is acceptable, wrecking a relationship is not—being able to reconcile the feelings of a young couple.
He was more than happy to receive the guiding fee.
Zhuo Yifan chuckled, bowing his head to write up his work report.
He was on a business trip, it’s just that the content of the business was slightly more personal.
Soon enough, the guide drove to the Romi Hotel Apartnts in Edinburgh’s south campus.
Zhuo Yifan’s eyes widened as if seeing ghosts; two girls were standing beneath the apartnt complex.
One girl with short hair, her boyish face brimming with boredom as she kicked pebbles at the roadside; whenever a dog passed, she couldn’t help but reach out to pat its head.
Beside her was a girl with flowing long hair, her face painted with resignation, stopping her from acting out of line, cautioning her about being bitten by dogs.
She wore a white sun hat, a flowing green dress swaying with the wind.
It was clear to see, her small belly slightly protruding, her delicate and stunning features revealing an indelible look of lancholy.
"Hello there, I’ll go park the car."
Mr. Zheng greeted and drove into the parking lot: "Su, that child, really has a hard life, pregnant and doesn’t even know who the father of the child is. Girls should still respect themselves more."
"Just heard she was shopping with my daughter, also from the School of Education, so I called them over to help you ask around."
Mr. Zheng parked the car, picked up the luggage, and specifically instructed: "Mr. Zhuo, please don’t ntion anything about Su later."
"I just can’t understand how such a good girl doesn’t even know who the father of her child is."
"But I heard her due date is supposed to be in August this year, which is odd, given that Su only ca here in January."
"I suspect the child’s father must be soone from back ho who only ca out to get the Edinburgh registry…"
Zhuo Yifan’s smile was stiff: "Maybe."
He felt as though he had stumbled upon so incredible secret, suddenly touched. What had he done to deserve such high regard from Boss Lu?
He was also a little worried. Would Su Wanyu recognize him?
Although he was a second-generation secretary, he’d attended many significant events with Lu Liang. If she paid even a little attention, she should recognize him as Lu Liang’s frequent companion.
If Su Wanyu recognized him, then his mission from Boss Lu would be directly dood.
A sense of foreboding hit Zhuo Yifan, and he hurriedly said: "Mr. Zheng, I just rembered I left sothing at the airport. Let’s go back for it."
Mr. Zheng: "It’s more than eighty kiloters away. The round trip will take another two hours. Why not call the airport staff and ask them to send it over?"
"Please Uncle, that thing is very important to , it’s an engagent ring." Zhuo Yifan pleaded, using the power of money.
300 British Pounds to run back and forth again, 200 British Pounds were for his daughter. He was very sorry to have stood them up.
"Ah, it’s not about the money. Since it’s sothing as important as a ring, then I’ll run back with you."
Mr. Zheng’s face bead with joy as he silently put the luggage back in the trunk, revved up the engine, and drove out of the parking lot.
"Thank you very much." Zhuo Yifan’s attitude was sincere.
He understood the principle of not flaunting wealth.
But Mr. Zheng had a daughter who seed to be at the sa school and was apparently friends with his target.
That ruled out him being a bad guy.
Zheng Xiaoxuan also received a call from her dad, infuriated: "Making us wait for nothing. When we et, I want half. I’ll take 400."
"It’ll have to do." She huffed, hung up the phone, and took out 200 British Pounds from her bag. Handing it to Su Wanyu, she said, "Here, this is yours."
"What happened?" Su Wanyu asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"That guy forgot the engagent ring at the airport, so my dad has to go back with him."
Zheng Xiaoxuan couldn’t help but snicker. It was hard to imagine such an unlucky yet lucky classmate knew such a scatterbrain.
"But he’s quite polite, gave another 500 British Pounds, 300 for my dad, but I scamd 200 out of him."
"Now 400, we’ll split it equal. Just keep it, consider it a gift from auntie for the baby’s formula money."
Zheng Xiaoxuan was straightforward and talkative, much like her father, and she suddenly touched Su Wanyu’s belly: "How was the last checkup?"
"The doctor said the baby is very healthy." Su Wanyu, unable to refuse, had no choice but to accept the 200 British Pounds Zheng Xiaoxuan handed her.
"And you?"
"? What about ?"
"Aren’t you going to tell that jerk? Are you planning to have the baby hold a picture of his dad when he’s born?"
Su Wanyu was silent for a long ti: "I haven’t decided yet."
"Oh~~ finally got it out of you."
Zheng Xiaoxuan was triumphant, teasing Su Wanyu’s chin with her index finger: "As I said, such a Xiaoguai, how could she not know who the father of her child is."
"Who is it after all? Get him to co over, if he doesn’t want to take responsibility, I’ll teach him a lesson!"
Her eyes narrowed, clenched teeth revealing her anger.
Zheng Xiaoxuan still rembered when she first t Su Wanyu.
It was raining that day. Su Wanyu didn’t have an umbrella, had no friends since she was new, standing all alone at the entrance of the academic building.
She kept looking up at the sky, as if waiting for the rain to stop.
But she waited a long, long ti.
The rain didn’t stop.
She seed trapped.
The breaking point for adults can co in an instant.
For the first ti, Zheng Xiaoxuan realized that crying could be silent, a tangible representation of vulnerability.
As a woman, she could hardly bear it, wanting to hold her tight and protect her. How could that man be so heartless?
"He doesn’t know, so please don’t ask again, okay?"
Su Wanyu didn’t want to talk more, and Zheng Xiaoxuan sighed: "We made a little money today, let’s go eat sothing nice."
anwhile, Zhuo Yifan was back at the airport, frantically calling Boss Lu.
He reported everything he knew, and the situation he had witnessed, but he hadn’t investigated deeply yet, so the information might not be entirely reliable.
"I understand, you’ve done well. Continue investigating," was the reply.
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