Chapter 73: Masters of the Capital City

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Masters of the Capital CityLi Yifei first returned home and changed his clothes. There was still some time left before the end of the workday, so he took a rest at home for a while. At four-thirty, he received a call from Xu Yingying, asking him to wait for her at her place.

Li Yifei didn’t understand what Xu Yingying was up to, but he still went directly to her home. Xu Yingying hadn’t returned yet, and although Li Yifei could easily open her door, he felt it was inappropriate to just enter. He didn’t want everyone to know he could simply walk into someone else’s home; that would be too unsettling for others.

Less than twenty minutes later, Xu Yingying came back,

Xu Yingying nodded, stating, "Exactly, that’s what I mean. You’ve served in the military and even have experience taking on several adversaries at once, so I feel secure with you as my bodyguard."

"How did you know I fought several at once?"

"Didn’t you have that fight when you were out with Michelle from the logistics department? It’s common knowledge in the company. As the president, how could I not know?"

"So my heroic deeds have already become so widely known," Li Yifei said with a touch of smugness.

Xu Yingying nodded and commented, "Indeed, you’ve got quite a number of heroic tales, like sending Zhao QingSheng to detention, and maintaining an ambiguous relationship with Director He."

"Ambiguous what?" Li Yifei was startled. He hoped this wasn’t something the whole company already knew about.

"You don’t have to pretend in front of me, do you dare say you have nothing to do with He Fangqing?" Xu Yingying spoke with disdain.

Li Yifei chuckled awkwardly and said, "President Xu, could you not make false accusations? These kinds of things can’t just be said recklessly. It doesn’t bother me, but if such rumors caused Director He’s reputation to be tarnished, that would really harm someone."

Xu Yingying narrowed her eyes and said, "You seem to care about her quite a bit. No wonder you beat up both her ex-husband and that woman."

Li Yifei broke into a sweat and said, "That was because I really couldn’t stand to see a couple of adulterers, so I impulsively took action. After all, Director He is from the same company as me. I can’t just watch her get bullied."

Xu Yingying watched Li Yifei from the rearview mirror while he seriously drove the car. Through the rearview mirror, their gazes met for a moment, and Li Yifei said with a wry smile, "President Xu, can we not look at me like that? I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?"

Xu Yingying said indifferently, "I’m just reminding you to not go too far with whatever is going on between you and Director He. After all, she’s just recently divorced. If word gets out, it’s not good for her reputation."

Li Yifei sweated again and said, "Then President Xu, I’m the one driving your car. Won’t people think there’s something going on between us too?"

"That’s their business, I don’t mind," was Xu Yingying’s indifferent reply.

Li Yifei was somewhat at a loss for words, so he decided not to discuss this with Xu Yingying any further. Soon, they arrived at Mile City’s most luxurious hotel. Li Yifei parked the car in the parking lot, and then he and Xu Yingying took the elevator to the twentieth floor together.

At the elevator landing on the twentieth floor, someone immediately came to greet Xu Yingying and invited her into a large hall ahead, while Li Yifei was arranged to wait in a smaller hall next to it.

In this smaller hall, there were already more than a dozen people, all robust men huddled together deep in conversation. These people were all bodyguards. Today’s attendees were all wealthy or of high status, so having bodyguards was completely normal.

Upon Li Yifei entering, everyone looked over at him. Li Yifei greeted them and then sat down beside them.

All of them were men from the same profession and thus quite familiar with one another. After some brief introductions, they began eating and talking.

The conversation was about their own glorious deeds, such as the most impressive protection details or the most dangerous experiences. But after a while, Li Yifei lost interest in their stories. These were all simple protection jobs, perhaps involving an odd kidnapping case—far cry from Li Yifei’s past experiences, lacking in technical challenge.

During this time, several more people came into the room and blended nicely into the conversation. However, when two more people entered, everyone felt that these newcomers did not fit in.

The two made a beeline for a secluded spot, quickly grabbed some food, and then closed their eyes in silence, not speaking a word.

Li Yifei’s interest was piqued. From the behavior of these two, it was evident that they had undergone stringent training. Quick eating and resting their eyes was characteristic of a true bodyguard’s responsibilities, allowing them to maintain their physical stamina and mental alertness.

Suddenly the two opened their eyes and looked directly at Li Yifei. He offered them a slight smile in response. Although they were not from the same unit, Li Yifei felt a certain camaraderie upon seeing them. His extra attention caught their notice, a testament to their considerable capabilities.

The two nodded then closed their eyes again. They had sensed Li Yifei’s gaze was different from the others, and they felt a powerful presence from him. It was the recognition between strong competitors. Despite closing their eyes, they were mindful of Li Yifei.

In a place like this, among ordinary bodyguards, to find someone as skilled as Li Yifei meant they had to be extra vigilant.

Li Yifei understood their thoughts and walked over to sit at their table with a smile, saying, "I used to be stationed with a unit in Capital City, but now I’m retired, just an ordinary citizen."

As Li Yifei approached, the two opened their eyes. One of them asked, "In which unit?"

"Heh, somewhat similar to yours," Li Yifei replied without giving a specific answer. The Flying Hawk Squad was a state secret, carrying out missions unknown to the public. Now that he had retired, he could not casually mention the Flying Hawk Squad.

The two nodded in understanding, clearly aware of the disciplinary codes within such units, particularly within special branches where talking recklessly post-retirement was prohibited.

"I won’t disturb you two any longer. If you’re not in a hurry to leave, you might find some time to have a drink with me," Li Yifei said as he wrote down his phone number for them.

One of the men glanced at the phone number, then tore up the slip of paper.

Li Yifei did not take it as an insult. A Zhongnanhai bodyguard who couldn’t memorize a phone number at a glance would indeed be underqualified.

Li Yifei nodded, turned, and left. He rejoined the other bodyguards. Compared to the two from Zhongnanhai, these men had much more of a commoner’s air. Some were nearly as skilled but were clearly lacking in the keen awareness of a true bodyguard. A real bodyguard had to be prepared for all potential scenarios, as even the slightest slip could have dire consequences.

These bodyguards were evidently not that vigilant, but Li Yifei didn’t dislike the commoner’s air about them. Back in the city, his mindset had changed; the urban life represented ease, and there was no need for that constant high tension anymore.