Chapter 13: You Are Free!

"Uncle, you’re really something!" Chang Yu exclaimed sincerely, from the bottom of his heart.

Wasn’t he just incredible? Before Chang Yu could even say a word, the driver had already gone off on a lengthy monologue with himself, as if he’d conjured up an entire gripping family drama in his mind. This man’s small talk skills were truly unmatched...

But after listening for a while, Chang Yu finally understood what the driver was trying to convey. A faint sense of warmth stirred in Chang Yu’s heart; for the first time in his life, he felt a touch of genuine kindness from a stranger.

In a society so driven by material desires and hardened by indifference, such heartfelt warmth was rare and precious.

So he explained, "Uncle, you’ve misunderstood me."

"I’m not chasing after him to beat him up, but to protect him."

"Who says a harmonious society has no need for bodyguards? That’s a wrong idea!"

"Today, I must make that guy Zhao Dasheng realize that even in peaceful times, hiring a bodyguard is still very important!"

Chang Yu spoke with earnest seriousness, his expression solemn.

Mainly, if Zhao Dasheng didn’t hire him as a bodyguard, Chang Yu would have no way to make a living. Therefore, he had to catch up to Zhao Dasheng and do his utmost to convince him to abandon his outdated notion that a peaceful society has no use for bodyguards.

As for beating up Zhao Dasheng, that was out of the question. Heaven knows, Chang Yu was eager to protect this wealthy man, not hurt him.

Yet, somehow, his words seemed to carry a hint of ambiguity, leading the driver to the wrong conclusion.

"Oh, young man, you still claim you’re not after him for a fight?" the driver shouted incredulously.

"What do you mean by ‘I must make him realize how important it is to hire a bodyguard’? You’ve even got your rallying cry ready—doesn’t that mean you’re basically planning to thrash the poor guy?"

"Uncle, I keep telling you, I’m really not looking for a fight! Why won’t you believe me?" Chang Yu suddenly felt exhausted.

In all his life, he’d never had to explain a single thing for so long to anyone.

And the worst part was, even though he’d tried his best—his heart nearly laid bare for scrutiny—the man just wouldn’t believe him. What more could he do?

Thus, their conversation continued as they followed Zhao Dasheng’s Bentley farther and farther from the city center, heading toward a remote, deserted area.

At last, Zhao Dasheng’s Bentley pulled over in a pitch-black, secluded alley. The taxi driver parked not far from the mouth of the alley.

Quickly settling the fare, Chang Yu slipped into the shadows and headed for the alley.

The alley was shrouded in darkness, not a single ray of light, so much so that he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. This was a remote district of H City, sparsely populated, with most of the nearby houses long abandoned. The silence was absolute.

Stooping low, Chang Yu crept along the alley, each step silent as a cat.

He edged closer and closer to the Bentley, careful not to make a sound, afraid of alerting the two people inside the car.

Truth be told, Chang Yu was also curious why Zhao Dasheng, a prominent national entrepreneur, would suddenly stop his car in such a desolate place.

He could have gone to a fancy restaurant or café downtown for a warm, romantic rendezvous with that beautiful woman in the cheongsam—there was no reason to come here.

To Chang Yu, anything out of the ordinary reeked of intrigue, piquing his interest in eavesdropping on their conversation.

Channeling his inner Sherlock Holmes, he was eager to know what secrets Zhao Dasheng might be hiding in private.

“Ah~ Chairman Zhao… you’re so naughty! You’re terrible~”

Before Chang Yu could get close, a coquettish voice drifted from the Bentley, full of playful resistance.

He recognized the voice—it was the woman in the cheongsam.

“Haha, my little darling, how many times have I told you, call me Uncle Zhao~”

The voice was deep and gruff, yet somehow familiar. It could only belong to the entrepreneur himself, Zhao Dasheng.

“Oh, Uncle Zhao… I just knew you liked it this way~” the woman giggled flirtatiously.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from the Bentley, and the whole car began to rock and creak.

Chang Yu stopped in his tracks, a hint of confusion on his honest face.

"Strange, what kind of sound is that? I’ve never heard it before."

"And why is the car swaying and creaking like that? That’s just bizarre!"

"I, Chang Yu, have led a pure life—there’s still so much I don’t understand…"

He had no idea what was happening in the car.

You could hardly blame him—growing up in the sheltered confines of an orphanage, he was as innocent as a child.

He listened intently for a long time, but still couldn’t figure out what was happening. Meanwhile, the rocking of the Bentley only grew more intense, and the woman’s cries more piercing.

By this point, if Chang Yu still didn’t grasp what was going on, he’d have to be a fool!

He smacked his forehead in frustration, suddenly enlightened.

"I get it now, so that’s what’s happening!"

"Zhao Dasheng, oh Zhao Dasheng, who would’ve thought, at your age, you’re still interested in such things?"

"No wonder he’s out here at this hour, parking in such a remote place—it’s all for… murder!"

"I bet Zhao Dasheng has some secret that woman in the cheongsam discovered!"

"To keep that secret from getting out, he’s strangling her right now!"

"Of course the woman’s not going to let herself be killed—so she’s fighting back, screaming for help!"

"And that explains why the car is shaking so violently—it’s their struggle! I finally understand!"

The more Chang Yu thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

With Zhao Dasheng’s massive real estate empire, surely there were shady dealings behind the scenes.

Chang Yu suddenly felt a heavy weight on his shoulders—a sense of mission welling up inside his pure heart.

"No! I can’t just stand by and watch Zhao Dasheng hurt someone. This is a matter of life and death—I have to stop him!"

"But… if I rush in now, it might ruin my chances of being hired as his bodyguard…"

"If I expose his secret, he’ll never want to hire me!"

"If he doesn’t hire me, how will I pay my rent? How will I afford good food?"

"Is there a way to stop Zhao Dasheng without revealing my identity?"

As the woman’s shrieks grew louder, Chang Yu’s brows knitted tighter, his anxiety burning like ants on a hot pan.

Suddenly, inspiration struck—a brilliant idea flashed through his mind.

"Yes, that’s it!"

He bent down, scooped up a handful of pebbles, and, treading lightly, scaled the alley wall like a nimble gecko, landing steadily on a second-floor balcony.

With his natural talent for climbing and his newfound strength, it was a breeze.

Clutching a pebble, Chang Yu focused his energy and flicked it with his finger.

The pebble shot through the air and smashed a large hole in the Bentley’s window, then, still carrying momentum, whizzed out the other side.

"That should let Zhao Dasheng know his crime has been discovered," Chang Yu thought.

Sure enough, the tactic worked.

The window was cranked down, and Zhao Dasheng’s balding head poked out. He roared:

"Which bastard ruined my fun? Can’t you see I’m busy here!"

His face contorted with rage, twisted almost comically.

He’d been enjoying himself, when suddenly a pebble nearly grazed his forehead and shattered his prized car’s window—scaring him half to death.

Now, at this critical moment, someone had disrupted him; how could he not be furious?

He cursed and ranted outside the car for a good while, then finally, still fuming, shut the window and resumed his unfinished business.

Soon, the Bentley began to rock again, and the woman’s cries resumed.

Seeing this, Chang Yu was finally enraged.

"Well, well, Zhao Dasheng—I only stepped in for your own good! And yet, caught in the act, you refuse to repent!"

"Don’t you realize that murder is something only a true villain would do? If you get caught today, you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison!"

"I, Chang Yu, am a man of principle—how can I stand by and let a life be lost before my very eyes? It’s clear you need a lesson!"

With that, Chang Yu pulled a red plastic bag from his pocket and swiftly pulled it over his head, tying it tightly so it wouldn’t slip off.

Then, with a leap, he jumped from the second floor, landing directly on the Bentley’s roof.

A thunderous crash sounded.

The roof caved in under his weight, crushing the entire car.

Inside, the man and woman shrieked in terror.

Through the faint light filtering through the plastic, Chang Yu jumped down from the roof, yanked open the car door, and dragged Zhao Dasheng out with rough hands.

Though he didn’t understand why both of them were so disheveled, it didn’t stop him from delivering a righteous beating.

He kicked the bewildered Zhao Dasheng to the ground, mounted him, and rained down punches with abandon.

Each blow landed squarely, drawing anguished howls from Zhao Dasheng.

As he pounded away, Chang Yu shouted, "That’s for cursing me! That’s for your bad ways! That’s for taking a life! That’s for silencing witnesses! I’ll teach you a lesson, you wretch!"

Face bloody, Zhao Dasheng howled back, "Do you know who I am? You little punk! If I ever find out who you are, I’ll never let you go!"

Chang Yu paid no heed to the threats, showing no mercy, each strike more vicious than the last.

Only when Zhao Dasheng finally collapsed unconscious did Chang Yu wipe the blood from his hands, rise with a flourish, and turn to the stunned woman still slumped in the car.

"Miss, are you alright? The one who tried to kill you has been subdued. You’re free now!"

"Just remember this: Justice may be late, but it never fails to arrive!"

At these words, a glimmer returned to the woman’s dull eyes. She summoned all her strength and shrieked back at Chang Yu:

"Are you insane?!"