Chapter 30

Liu Handong parked his three-wheeled motorcycle on a quiet roadside, opened the box, and inserted the SIM card and memory card into the Coolpad phone. He tried calling his Nokia, but the display showed that the number was out of service. He fiddled with the new phone, which had many functions and could even access 3G internet. Ma Ling was right.

"Get out of here, no parking allowed," a white van from the administrative law enforcement drove by, and a loudspeaker sternly scolded.

Liu Handong quickly drove away, circling the streets. As Ma Ling had said, most city residents took taxis, and there was no business for tricycles. Following the advice, he went to the 520 bus terminal to look for work. There were several newly developed residential areas nearby that the bus routes didn't reach, so they relied on motorcycles and unlicensed cars for short trips. The road near the bus stop was crowded with motorcycles, all waiting for customers.

"Hey, isn't this Old Wang's bike?" someone recognized the bike.

"I'm running it for him for a couple of days," Liu Handong explained.

A 520 bus arrived, and the motorcycle drivers swarmed around it. The passengers got off the bus and walked straight ahead, some haggling with the drivers. Liu Handong didn't want to join the crowd and sat on his bike, watching the bus. This bus was driven by Ma Ling, who winked at him.

"Driver, can you take me to Greenfield Community for five yuan?" a woman in black stockings asked.

"Get in," Liu Handong started the motorcycle, waved to Ma Ling, and took the passenger.

After a busy morning, he finally earned ten yuan. Liu Handong went to eat at Tuji Dog Meat Restaurant, which was still open. The interior was being repainted, and all the tables and chairs were new, white plastic. He guessed it was sent by Leopard. Seeing Liu Handong come in, Shan Pao shouted, "Brother, come in, it's too hot outside."

Liu Handong parked his bike, not even locking it, as it was very safe at the dog meat restaurant. He walked into the restaurant, and Shan Pao came over to offer a cigarette. "Let's keep it simple today. I'll make a vegetable platter, some dog meat, two pancakes, and some beer. How does that sound?"

"Fine," Liu Handong didn't argue and went to the backyard. Xiao Yue came over to greet him, "Brother, you're here."

Liu Handong said, "Sister, you're following Shan Pao's lead. I'm younger than him. Just call me Da Dong."

"Okay, Da Dong, I'll tear some meat for you," Xiao Yue wiped her hands on her apron and went to the dog meat basket to tear the meat. Selling dog meat doesn't involve using a knife; it's only torn by hand, a rule passed down from the ancestor Fan Kui.

Shan Pao winked, "Eating too much dog meat can make you hot. Want to cool down at Mei Zi's place tonight?"

Liu Handong said, "We'll see. I'm busy today. You take care of the customers. I'll leave after I eat."

Shan Pao laughed and walked away. Soon, Xiao Yue brought the food and drinks. Liu Handong ate quickly, said goodbye, and walked back to his rental house. The courtyard was still full of mahjong players. The landlord's daughter rushed out of the house, almost colliding with Liu Handong. Her chest was barely contained in her tight top.

"Sorry," Liu Handong stepped back and walked up the stairs.

"Hey!" the girl called out.

Liu Handong turned around, "Calling me?"

"Are you Liu Handong?" the girl asked.

"Yes."

"I'm Hu Ying."

"Is it 'Naruto'?" Liu Handong couldn't help but ask.

"It's 'Ying' as in 'novel.' She has a good temper and speaks softly, unlike the person he saw a few days ago.

"Nice, a good name," Liu Handong said.

"My brother is Hu Lei. He really admires you," Hu Ying continued.

"Admires me for what? What's so great about me?" Liu Handong was puzzled.

"Good at fighting, even dared to beat Zhao Yufeng. Impressive!" Hu Ying was excited. "By the way, someone is looking for you. They're waiting for you upstairs."

"What kind of person?" Liu Handong immediately became alert, knowing he had few friends but many enemies.

"About 1.8 meters tall, a bit taller than you, bald, driving a white Jetta," Hu Ying had a good memory and even recognized the car model, which was rare for a girl.

"Thanks," Liu Handong relaxed, knowing it was the private detective Wang Xing.

On the second floor, Zhu Xiaoqiang was still playing DOTA, surrounded by empty instant noodle cups and drink bottles. Wang Xing was sitting next to him, smoking.

"Detective Wang, what's up?" Liu Handong stopped and asked.

"Yes, I have a good deal for you," Wang Xing got up and went to the fourth floor with him. Inside the room, he took out a bank card, "Ten thousand yuan, from the dog's owner as a thank you."

Liu Handong didn't take it, "No thanks."

"Are you sick? This is your due reward. Why not take it? Look at how poor you are, and you're still acting high and mighty?" Wang Xing was furious because he knew this ten thousand yuan included Song Shuang's apology. If Liu Handong didn't accept it, he couldn't explain it to Song Shuang, making him look incompetent.

"I am poor, but I won't take money that makes me uncomfortable," Liu Handong was firm.

"Damn, you have some character. Are you still upset about being framed? They've already apologized and given you the reward as promised. What's wrong with you? I'm telling you, Liu Handong, being too proud can bring you trouble," Wang Xing scolded him, his mouth dry and tongue sore. He looked around, but there was nothing to drink.

"Look at this place, is it fit for a human to live in? What do you do for a living now?" Wang Xing asked.

"I drive a motorcycle," Liu Handong answered.

Wang Xing said, "How can you be friends with Ma Ling if you drive a motorcycle? Her mother wouldn't approve. How about this, work with me. When I have business, I'll call you for help. We'll split the income 20-80... 30-70. Why not? 40-60 is out of the question."

Liu Handong said, "I'd rather drive a motorcycle than be a private detective. Fine, I'll take this ten thousand yuan. You can go now."

"Damn, you look down on my profession," Wang Xing was depressed, leaving a business card, "Think it over and call me." He left the bank card on the table and went downstairs.

Liu Handong looked at the bank card, got into bed, and fell asleep.

...

Wang Xing spent most of his time at the tax bureau, finally getting the invoice issued. He delivered a ten-thousand-yuan service invoice to the finance department of Qing Shi High-Tech, feeling like he was bleeding money. He had to find various invoices to offset the costs. Qing Shi High-Tech was a legitimate company with strict financial regulations, and to maintain long-term business cooperation, he had to follow their rules.

After submitting the invoice, the accountant received a call, "Mr. Wang, President An invites you to his office."

A security guard in a black suit with an earpiece led Wang Xing into the building, swiping cards at every door. On the 18th floor, in the president's office, not only did he need to swipe a card, but also undergo retinal scanning, showing the strict security measures.

Qing Shi High-Tech's President's senior assistant, An Xin, effectively served as vice president during Xia Qingshi's treatment, handling all the company's affairs. For a 28-year-old woman, this was a heavy responsibility.

An Xin's office was oval-shaped, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering a view of the industrial park. The floor was covered with fire-resistant composite material, reflecting the company's technological background. An Xin sat behind a desk made of stainless steel and composite material, with a large touchscreen computer. She nodded slightly as Wang Xing entered.

An assistant in a suit brought a tray with a glass bottle of mineral water. Wang Xing thought it was an imported brand but saw it was the export version of Laoshan White Flower Snake Grass Water.

An Xin was still busy, and Wang Xing was bored, taking a sip of the mineral water. He almost cried; the taste was strange, just like the company's management style. A folded-ear cat was lying at An Xin's feet, yawning. It was rare for a company to allow pets in the office.

"Mr. Wang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," An Xin finally finished and walked from behind her desk. She was wearing a knee-length skirt, bare legs, no stockings, and no shoes.

"Xia Qingshi is a lucky man," Wang Xing thought, standing up to shake hands with An Xin.

"Here's the thing, I want to hire Mr. Wang as our company's security consultant. No need to be on-site. You'll receive a fixed monthly allowance of ten thousand yuan and the use of an Audi A6. What do you think?" An Xin was straightforward.

Wang Xing crossed his arms and frowned. "Such generous terms, I assume it's not just for a security consultant."

An Xin saw the half-drunk White Flower Snake Grass Water on the coffee table and told the assistant, "Bring other drinks."

The assistant left, and the office was empty except for the two of them.

"Here's the thing, Mr. Xia Qingshi is returning to the country soon, and I don't want his safety to be threatened in any way. The previous kidnapping of Shu Fan has not been satisfactorily resolved by the police, and I don't expect much from them. Given our previous satisfactory cooperation, I want to continue hiring you to protect Mr. Xia Qingshi, his daughter, and our company, Qing Shi High-Tech," An Xin was direct and to the point.

Wang Xing interlocked his hands and frowned. This was an opportunity, but opportunities often come with risks. After a moment's thought, he said, "President An, why me? I'm just a former police officer with limited abilities."

An Xin smiled, "You may have left, but you still maintain close ties with the police system. You often go to Song Jianfeng's house for meals and have a good relationship with his daughter. You also have connections with the black society in Jiangbei and even the provincial capital, and with some high-level figures abroad. You have very reliable information and operate between the black and white worlds. I can't find a more suitable person than you."

Wang Xing said, "I need to think about it. You should know from your investigation that my wife is pregnant with twins. I can't afford to have anything happen to me at this time."

An Xin smiled, "Don't worry. I'm relying on your network and experience, not expecting you to be on the front lines. Our group has hundreds of security personnel and a special security team of over thirty retired special forces. They will follow your orders when necessary. In terms of equipment, anything but guns is available."

Wang Xing saw from An Xin's smile that guns were also possible.

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