C13 Chapter 13

The driver reluctantly turned around, holding back tears, his grip on the steering wheel quivering ever so slightly. He glanced at the two passengers in the rearview mirror with a barely perceptible look of concern.

"Xu has been with me for many years; his worry is just a sign of his haste. Please don't hold it against him," Yang Guogang said, turning to Chen Dong with a friendly and approachable demeanor, a stark contrast to his earlier intensity.

Chen Dong could see that the driver was devoted.

"But from what you've said, do you have medical knowledge?" Yang Guogang hadn't initially reacted to Chen Dong's words. How else could Chen Dong have made his assessment?

Rubbing the back of his head, Chen Dong was momentarily puzzled by the question. How could he explain that after his rebirth, his senses were beyond those of an ordinary person?

Just a moment ago, while touching the old man's leg, he had felt a subtle chill coursing through the man's bones and sinews.

"Old Mr. Yang, as you know, I have a lot of free time at home. I sometimes read medical books out of boredom, so I've picked up a bit of knowledge," Chen Dong said, touching his nose and lying without a hint of embarrassment.

Anyone hearing this would take it as a joke.

No one would believe it, and Chen Dong knew it, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Xu's agitation had stemmed from his awareness of the situation. The doctors had warned the president long ago...

As Yang Guogang caressed his own legs, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened. After a moment of silence, he resignedly said, "That's all we can do. I must leave it to fate."

"There might be another way," Chen Dong blurted out, immediately wishing he could bite his tongue.

He internally cursed himself. If he couldn't heal the man's legs, wasn't he just embarrassing himself?

Chen Dong was filled with remorse, recalling the rash promise he'd made at Susu Fashion to pay three million yuan.

Upon hearing Chen Dong's hesitant suggestion, a spark of hope flickered in Yang Guogang's eyes. He grasped Chen Dong's hand with an emotional grip, asking with a catch in his voice, "Young man, do you truly have a solution?"

Chen Dong withdrew his hand, at a loss for words. He was still coming to terms with the changes in his own body; how could he possibly commit to such a task?

As he tried once more to feel Yang Guogang's legs, the faint chill he had noticed earlier had vanished without a trace. Chen Dong was at a loss; he couldn't heal Yang Guogang's legs...

The light in Yang Guogang's eyes faded incrementally. He shook his head, realizing his earlier thoughts had been wishful thinking. Then, he remembered the pressing issue at hand. "How are you coming along with your decision about that matter?"

Chen Dong hesitated, his mind on the three million yuan, and before he knew it, he had impulsively gotten into the car.

In his past life, three million yuan would have been a trivial sum, but now it was a source of anxiety for Chen Dong. Surely, three million required some concrete action; it couldn't just be wishful thinking, could it?

"What about the salary?" Chen Dong touched his nose, feeling a bit awkward about the question.

Noticing Chen Dong's change in demeanor from their initial encounter, Yang Guogang hazarded a guess, "Little brother, have you run into some kind of trouble?"

If it was a matter of money, it would be simple to resolve.

After all, to Yang Guogang, matters that could be settled with money were never serious.

Chen Dong wavered, stuttering for a while before admitting, "There is a bit of an issue, yes."

With the conversation reaching this point, Yang Guogang didn't pry further. He adjusted the blanket over his legs and prompted, "Name your price."

Chen Dong remained silent, internally wrestling with how to broach the subject of money. To the wealthy, three million was a pittance, but in his current predicament, the idea of hiring a bodyguard for such a sum seemed laughable.

Did Yang Guogang think he was trying to swindle him?

Seeing Chen Dong's hesitation, Old Mr. Yang chuckled, "Little brother, are you worried I can't meet your price? Go ahead and tell me."

With an embarrassed smile, Chen Dong touched his nose again and spoke softly, "Three million."

To anyone else, this might seem like an exorbitant demand—three million right off the bat. But Chen Dong couldn't be blamed; he was backed into a corner.

"Okay."

His response was surprisingly swift?

"In light of your willingness to help, I'll add another two million yuan," Old Mr. Yang said, his tone suggesting that money was of little consequence.

In his previous life, Chen Dong would have spoken with equal confidence. He sighed internally; having agreed to be the old man's daughter's bodyguard, it was time to learn more about her situation.

Chen Dong couldn't help but think the coincidence was just too damn perfect. Yang Guogang's daughter was working at Susu Fashion as a model?

He gathered that one of Yang Guogang's subsidiaries had partnered with Lee Susu, which resulted in his daughter being assigned to start at the bottom of Lee Susu's company and work her way up through the ranks. It sounded like yet another tale of a wealthy young woman keeping a low profile. Chen Dong found himself in a bind. If he had to personally protect Qiqi, wouldn't that mean frequent contact with the woman he was married to in name only?

"And, our company has arranged an interview, inviting both you and your wife. You see..." The matter was brought up, but the secretary had failed to reach Chen Dong for a discussion multiple times. Despite his age, Old Mr. Yang had a mind as sharp as a tack. It seemed Miss Lee might be keeping something under wraps.

"I had no idea about this interview." How could Chen Dong be aware of it? He let out a wry smile. At this point, he was a man with nothing, living off a woman's support.

"Not knowing is fine." As a man, Old Mr. Yang couldn't stand Miss Lee's antics and extended another invitation to Chen Dong, setting it for the following week.

During their conversation, everything was laid out clearly, and they arrived at the Lee family's doorstep. Chen Dong got out of the car and expressed his gratitude.

As he opened the door and bent down to change his shoes, laughter echoed from the kitchen. Chen Dong made his way over and found the table laden with delicious-smelling food, which made his stomach growl with hunger. Lee Susu emerged from the kitchen, her face meeting his, the smile quickly vanishing as she scowled.

"Well, look who's back. If it isn't my brother-in-law," chimed a petite woman trailing behind her mother-in-law, lively and bouncing with a plate in hand. "Brother-in-law, the news about you recently really impressed me," she said.

Lee Sujin, Lee Susu's younger sister, had married and moved away, seldom returning home.

True to form as sisters, their words could sting with sarcasm, and Chen Dong felt the bite in their tone.

"What's there to admire? He's nothing but a pushover," Lee Susu grumbled, her expression sour.