Chapter Sixteen: Not a Good Thing

He Zhouzhou and another beautiful woman lay side by side on the large hotel bed. It was already deep into the night, but for young people, staying up late was nothing unusual—especially for streamers like themselves. Tonight, He Zhouzhou had ended her live broadcast early; the event organizers had told them to rest up and save their energy for the food show in the morning.

This time, many streamers were participating in the food event, and it was rumored that actual celebrities would be present. Not just online personalities, but real stars.

Yet, on the white bed, dressed in pajamas, He Zhouzhou found herself unable to sleep.

“Zhouzhou, are you thinking about that fan of yours?” The woman beside her crawled onto He Zhouzhou’s bed.

He Zhouzhou pushed her away with a look of annoyance, but the other woman clung to He Zhouzhou’s slender waist like a catfish.

“Hehe, you can’t escape,” she teased.

“Let go of me, you little rogue,” He Zhouzhou protested.

The two wrestled for a while, leaving their clothes and hair in disarray. In such moments, women seemed to possess a unique allure.

“Hey, that fan of yours is something else,” the beautiful woman suddenly remarked.

“Of course,” He Zhouzhou replied, nodding. “You wouldn’t expect less from my fan.”

“So full of yourself,” the woman laughed, clearly having developed a bit of a fondness for Shen An as well.

“Hey, do you think we’ll see him again?”

“I don’t know. It’s up to fate,” He Zhouzhou replied.

Silence fell between them, both aware that the chances were slim, yet unable to help but dream.

The night passed swiftly.

By morning, the staff from Tigerfish had already arrived. After grabbing a quick bite, the two women headed outside the hotel. Word had it they were about to set off.

As they waited, rumors spread that bodyguards were about to be interviewed. Nearby, a heated discussion was underway.

“Korean martial arts master Han Feng, seventh dan in Taekwondo—I saw him on TV. Is he the one testing the bodyguards?”

“Isn’t that a bit much? Who could possibly beat him?”

“Exactly. Being a bodyguard isn’t easy—they’re making it deliberately difficult.”

He Zhouzhou wasn’t particularly interested, but hearing about a seventh dan black belt in Taekwondo piqued her curiosity. After all, watching a fight was always entertaining. Soon, the crowd swelled, with many streamers already in place.

“Where is he?” The man in charge of security was growing impatient, questioning a chubby man in front of him.

“Wait a bit, I just called him. He should be here soon,” Zhou Wang replied, a note of anxiety in his voice.

There was little he could do; he hadn’t made things clear to Shen An last night, failing to stress the importance of being on time. It was understandable—back in school, even though they’d sat together, Shen An had always been temperamental. If Zhou Wang hadn’t run out of options yesterday, he wouldn’t have turned to Shen An; after all, not only was he ill-tempered, but he was ruthless when it came to fighting.

After a short while, Zhou Wang spotted someone getting out of a taxi in the distance.

“There he is!” Zhou Wang hurried over at a jog.

Shen An was paying the driver.

“No need, I’ve got the fare,” Zhou Wang interjected.

Shen An turned, recognizing Zhou Wang—he’d put on weight, clearly living a comfortable life.

Once the fare was settled, the taxi pulled away. A middle-aged man, the head of security, approached. He eyed Shen An’s boyish features and slight build, looking him up and down with open skepticism.

After waiting half an hour, this was who they’d been expecting?

“This is the guy you mentioned?” he directed the question to Zhou Wang.

Sensing the hostility, Zhou Wang glanced at Shen An, worried he might lose his temper. But Shen An seemed unbothered, not even looking at the man, which came as a relief.

“Yes, this is my classmate. He’s a great fighter—no need for an interview, right, Chief Lao?”

Chief Lao’s expression didn’t change. “No way. If something goes wrong, I’ll be held responsible. Besides, this kid doesn’t look like he’s had any training. We don’t need someone like him.”

His words were harsh. Shen An hadn’t intended to argue, but the man’s tone made it clear he didn’t want Shen An as a bodyguard.

Zhou Wang pulled Shen An aside, whispering urgently, “Don’t mind him, brother. He’s trying to drive you away so his nephew can get in. You don’t know—this security job is mainly to protect Chu Yuxi, the big star. Lots of people would kill for the chance to be close to her.”

“His nephew’s recommendation was blocked by me. The kid’s just a thug with a bad reputation. My company may be small, but I have some influence—I’m one of the organizers. That guy’s got connections, but all he does is talk. Don’t let him get to you.”

Shen An thought to himself that Zhou Wang was putting him right in the middle of things. Clearly, Zhou Wang was at odds with the man, and now it would all land on his own shoulders.

Still, since he was here, he’d take things as they came. Shen An wasn’t one to bully others, but he wouldn’t be bullied either.

Glancing up, he suddenly spotted Zhouzhou and the beautiful woman from the previous night. Fate had brought them together again.

The workings of destiny were truly marvelous. The sense of familiarity from last night wasn’t just his imagination—their paths had crossed once more at this event.

“You’re here for the food show?” Shen An asked Zhou Wang.

“Man, you just found out? I thought you’d heard already. The banners are up, and Chu Yuxi will be here in an hour. Just go through the interview. It’s simple—just show a bit of your skills and you’ll be fine. There are people here who’ll vouch for you. It’s just a formality.”

Barely had Zhou Wang finished speaking when Chief Lao interjected with a mocking tone, “Not so simple. The rules have changed. Maybe you didn’t know, Mr. Zhou?”

Zhou Wang’s face fell, a sense of foreboding creeping over him. “What do you mean?”

“It means he’ll have to spar with Han Feng. We don’t make the final call—if Han Feng approves, then he can be a bodyguard at the event. How about it?”

A smile played on Chief Lao’s lips as he looked at Zhou Wang, then at Shen An.

“Han Feng is a seventh dan Taekwondo black belt. None of the other bodyguards here have passed his test. Chief Lao, are you looking for a bodyguard or a special forces soldier?” Zhou Wang’s temper flared, and he raised his voice for all to hear.

“It doesn’t matter—the rules are the rules. No exceptions. Since you recommended him, he’d better have some real skills,” Chief Lao retorted, his words brimming with hostility.

Zhou Wang hadn’t expected the man to play dirty at this critical moment. The problem was that security was under the other man’s control—Zhou Wang could only recommend candidates and apply a bit of pressure, but the final decision was out of his hands.