The Beautiful Boss's Personal Bodyguard-Chapter 347

"The location is good, sure, but what’s that got to do with me? I don’t have the money, can’t afford the rent, and in the end, people might just go back on their word. Even if I’m not vying for this storefront, I have to fight for my dignity, right, Boss Zhao?"

Calling him ’Boss Zhao’ instead of ’Third Brother Zhao’ had already created a sense of distance.

Zhao Sanque smiled unawkwardly, "Brother, last time it was my fault as the elder brother, but I had no choice, you know. I’m just out here trying to make some money to bring home some treats for the kids. Think about it, if you were in my shoes and someone offered more rent than you, who would you rent to?"

"I paid a deposit," Ye Tian spoke coldly.

"What’s the use of a 300 yuan deposit?"

"Well, Boss Zhao, it seems my 300 yuan is only worth that one sentence from you, right? Fine then, I won’t rent this place. He Ku, let’s go..."

"Hold on, hold on, brother!" Zhao Sanque seemed panicky, "10,000! Just 10,000! The shop is yours for a year!"

"8,000! Not a penny more!"

Ye Tian didn’t even blink an eye; he hadn’t intended to push this hard, but it wasn’t about how people from Henan were; it was Zhao Sanque’s reneging that infuriated him.

Zhao Sanque was really anxious now and slapped the table hard, spilling the tea, "9,000! Are you renting or not? If not, I’ll just leave the store vacant, it looks better to me that way!"

Ye Tian decided to take the offer. Although he was pleased inwardly, his face remained grim, "You talk as if I’m taking advantage of you. Don’t rent it to me then; rent it to the guy before. Let’s sign the contract. Oh, there’s no deposit this time—I’ve brought the full amount."

Zhao Sanque grinned, "Brother, you’re something else! That must be 10,000 yuan, carrying it all in your pocket on the street, aren’t you afraid of being robbed?"

"That’s nothing, can’t compare with Boss Zhao."

Zhao Sanque made a phone call and summoned the landlord, getting the paper and pen ready while muttering, "If Zheng Ergou had given that 50,000, it’d be fine, but that bastard bluffed me. Now, I haven’t gotten a dime, so I’m cursing his ancestors..."

Listening to Zhao Sanque, Ye Tian was taken aback for a moment and asked, "Zheng Ergou? The one from Erwanzi Street?"

"Yeah, that’s him. Fooling me, blabbering a few days ago about having money now, 5 million, wanted to buy a house near Tian’an Men Square... Hell, I cursed the daylights out of him! Now he’s just mysteriously vanished."

Ye Tian found the situation odd but reconsidered and thought he was being paranoid. That guy was just a hooligan, all bluster and hot air when bored. As long as it didn’t affect him, why bother with such a person?

Soon, the landlord brought the contract. Being from the same street, signing was merely a formality, just pressing a handprint on a self-written document that wasn’t particularly official. In case of any problems, there was little that could be said, but such issues were rare. Neighborhood relations were all about face.

Finally resolving the renting issue lightened Ye Tian’s mood. When the Zheng Family messed with Father He Biandan’s house, he felt somewhat responsible. Helping out now was also a way to alleviate his own guilt.

"Bro"

"Hmm?" He Ku’s face also beamed with joy. The kid had been cheerful lately, having school to attend and his father finding new work prospects—why wouldn’t he be happy?

"Does dad know about this?"

"I haven’t told him yet. He doesn’t know."

"Then let’s buy some good food to take home, and we’ll tell him when he gets back. Won’t that make him happy?"

"You’re his son, so it’s good if you say it’s good. What should we buy?"

"KFC!" freeweɓnovel.cøm

"Psh, kiddie food. I say, if we’re buying, we buy donkey burger. Haven’t you heard ’Dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth’? Your dad will get a real boost from it!"

"What’s a real boost?"

"A real boost is... Boy, why you asking so much!"

"We need to buy cola, too."

"Alright."

"And chicken wings."

"Alright."

"And a burger."

"Alright... wait a minute, kid, that’s still KFC you’re talking about!"

They laughed and chatted all the way, joy which had been long absent descended upon them in that moment.

...

After lunch, Ye Tian and company bought a bunch of stuff and returned, covering a large table. They also invited Old Liu, the landlord, over. Ye Tian mean’t to invite Chuan too, but after knocking several times and finding him not at home, he recalled Chuan had been gone for several days. Zhou Aiguo and his wife from the eastern room had also been out often. As Old Liu said, with the New Year approaching, there was plenty of work, and migrant workers returning to their hometown can always make some money. Done right, they can enjoy a prosperous year. Ye Tian joked that both were quite lucky and this could raise our country’s happiness level. But Old Liu snorted, tapping his tobacco pipe dismissively, "Happy, my ass. Parents are good-for-nothings, and they birthed such a good-for-nothing son, always away from home. Look, he took money last time he came home and hasn’t been back since; hasn’t even let out a fart here." Ye Tian laughed, going home just to fart is something else.

The atmosphere was lively, but the expected person had yet to show. It was already 7 pm, normally Father He Biandan would be home by 6.

"Bro, why isn’t dad back yet?"

"Maybe he’s just busy, with the holiday rush, more people, more need to drink."

The explanation didn’t hold up, and Ye Tian didn’t buy it either.

Another half hour went by and things seemed awry.

"Something’s not right. You two better go take a look," Old Liu suggested between drags of his cigarette, "Biandan isn’t someone who neglects his family. Even if there was a million-dollar job, he wouldn’t come home this late. Something must have happened."

Ye Tian felt something was wrong too, just about to step outside when several shadowy figures entered the yard, knocked on Zhou Aiguo’s door, exchanged a few words, then headed towards Ye Tian’s house, knocking on the door without entering.

Knocking? How civil!

"Hello, are He Zixuan’s family members here?"

Ye Tian thought for a moment, then turned to He Ku, "Is your dad named He Zixuan?"

"Yeah."

That was right. It had been a month, and Ye Tian still didn’t know He Biandan’s real name was He Zixuan; quite a cultured name.

Ye Tian went over and opened the thick door curtain—three policemen, all wearing caps, stood there.

"Hello, are you related to He Zixuan?"

Looking back at He Ku, Ye Tian nodded, "Ah, yes, I am."

The questioning policeman’s eyes shifted while peeking into the room; Ye Tian noticed his gaze was definitely directed at He Ku.

Something was definitely off.