Chapter 19

Ning Lan's ride was a new Mercedes-Benz SUV, and it was clear that the benefits of being a chairman's assistant were not bad, with a substantial income. A beautiful woman driving such a large vehicle seemed somewhat domineering.

Lin Zixian, sitting in the passenger seat, took out a cigarette and shook it, saying, "Do you mind if I smoke in your car?"

Ning Lan smiled and rolled down the window, indicating that she didn't mind. Lin Zixian lit the cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and leaned back lazily, exhaling smoke while looking out the window. He smiled and said, "A luxury car and a beautiful woman—any man who marries you can live a life of leisure and comfort."

"That depends on whether a man who likes to live a life of leisure would even look at me," Ning Lan giggled. "Even if I like someone, it's useless if they don't like me."

Lin Zixian extended the cigarette out the window, letting the wind scatter the ash before retracting it. He smiled and said, "I'm afraid you're too picky! With such good conditions, there should be many men chasing you. At least I would want to live off you, but unfortunately, I don't meet your standards."

Ning Lan's lips stiffened, and she glanced back, trying to see if he was serious or joking. Unfortunately, he kept his head turned, looking out the window. After a moment, she smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true. Just because you're the handsomest man in Minghua Group, if you really want to live off me, one word from you, and I'll support you!"

"Cough, cough..." Lin Zixian had just taken a puff of the cigarette when he heard this, and it made him choke. He coughed, thinking, "Support me? I'm not that desperate yet!"

But he only took it as a joke. After coughing out the smoke that had entered his trachea, he shrugged and said, "Sure, with a beautiful woman to warm the bed and give me money to spend, why wouldn't I want to?"

By this time, the car had left the busy city center, and Ning Lan accelerated, her face expressionless as she looked ahead. "Sure, let's make it official. No backing out."

"Obviously, I'm the one getting the better deal. Why would I back out? If anyone should back out, it's you." Lin Zixian flicked the cigarette butt accurately into a roadside trash can and stretched. "Looks like I don't have to pay for dinner or a hotel room. I can cuddle with a beautiful woman." He turned to look at Ning Lan and smiled, "Ning Assistant, are you ready to warm the bed?"

Ning Lan tried to act as if nothing was wrong, but her cheeks flushed, turning a charming shade of red. Lin Zixian shook his head and laughed, enjoying the banter. He liked to tease beautiful women, and it made his life less boring after retiring from his previous life.

Ning Lan turned back and glared at him, saying, "Lin Zixian, since you're going to live off me, calling me 'Ning Assistant' is inappropriate. Shouldn't you change the way you address me?"

"Uh..." Lin Zixian hadn't expected her to be so stubborn and teased, "What do you want me to call you? Ning Ning, Lan Lan, darling, wife, sweetheart, honey, or just Ning Lan?"

"Forget it, the first few make me shiver. Let's just use your name," Ning Lan playfully curled her finger and smiled, "Come on, say it, and be gentle."

This made Lin Zixian speechless. Gentle? He didn't have the potential to be that effeminate. He looked at the traffic outside, cleared his throat, and changed the subject, "Ning Assistant, where are we going for dinner? Do you upper-class people always go far for a meal?"

"I don't like that title. I said, just use my name," Ning Lan smiled.

"Right..." Lin Zixian looked embarrassed, "Ning Lan, where are we going? Don't go too far and get intercepted again."

Ning Lan smiled brightly, "Intercepting us won't get them much. Besides, with you, my super bodyguard, living off me, what do I have to fear? It's your first time, so I'll take you somewhere romantic. We're going to the beach—Ivory Coast!"

"White face?" Lin Zixian's lips twitched, and he was slightly surprised, "Ivory Coast? Is it run by people from Côte d'Ivoire?"

Ning Lan looked puzzled, "Côte d'Ivoire? What do you mean?"

"Côte d'Ivoire, a country in the Gulf of Guinea in Africa. The name comes from French, as the area was known for its ivory, hence the name Ivory Coast. Isn't that it?"

Ning Lan knew little about the distant African country, having only heard of it or seen it in newspapers and magazines. She shook her head, "The owner is from China. Why it's called Ivory Coast, you'll see when we get there. It has nothing to do with the Côte d'Ivoire you mentioned." She then remembered something and looked back, surprised, "I didn't know you were so well-read! You even know the geographical location and the origin of the name of a casual place."

"Uh... not well-read, just happened to be there," Lin Zixian laughed awkwardly.

"I heard you worked in an American restaurant washing dishes. How did you end up in Africa?" Ning Lan teased.

"Washing dishes has breaks too. I went on a vacation and ended up there," Lin Zixian lied.

Ning Lan knew he was evading but didn't press further. She found him increasingly mysterious. This enigmatic, wind-like man made her eager to uncover his secrets...

Soon, a salty sea breeze blew in their faces, and Lin Zixian understood why it was called Ivory Coast.

In the distance, a tall, creamy white skyscraper stood like a giant ivory tusk. As they got closer, they could see a cluster of creamy white buildings along the coastline, dotted with green plants, and a pristine white beach. The sky was gradually darkening, and the lights were beginning to twinkle.

Ning Lan drove into the underground parking lot, and her ease suggested she had been there before.

As soon as the car stopped, Ning Lan waved to someone outside, and Lin Zixian followed her gaze. A tall, beautiful woman in a white business suit stood by the elevator, her long legs very noticeable, and she was smiling and waving. Clearly, she knew Ning Lan.

The two women got out of the car, and the tall beauty walked over, hugging Ning Lan and chatting. Both were wearing high heels, but the tall beauty was at least half a head taller than Ning Lan, especially her legs, which made Lin Zixian's eyes widen. The ancient saying of "beautiful legs" must have been referring to such legs.

Lin Zixian was staring at the legs, having never seen such beautiful thighs, and he thought that any man who died from being squeezed by these legs would die without regret.

Just then, four more cars drove into the underground parking lot, and a dozen young men jumped out, armed with steel pipes, baseball bats, and machetes, surrounding the three of them.

Ning Lan's face turned pale, not expecting this to happen again. Lin Zixian frowned, lit a cigarette, and stared at a young man in one of the cars, who had dyed hair and a cigarette in his mouth.

The tall beauty's face darkened, and she stepped in front of Ning Lan, scanning the group and shouting, "Who are you? How dare you cause trouble here?"

A young man with a machete waved it and said arrogantly, "There's nowhere in the East Sea we can't go. The two beauties should step aside; this isn't your business. Otherwise, we'll scar your faces."

A yellow-haired man with a baseball bat licked his lips and leered, "Why not take them back and let the brothers have some fun?"

"Shut up! Do you want the hotel security to come?" the young man in the car, Gao Yunliang, threw his cigarette out viciously.

With the boss's command, the group ignored the two women and charged at Lin Zixian with their weapons.

Swish! A tearing sound was heard, and a white, shapely leg swept out from under the skirt, sending three young men flying with cries of pain. The tall beauty moved quickly, protecting Ning Lan.

There were too many of them, and she couldn't protect both of them at once. With their weapons, she could only protect one. She planned to save Ning Lan first and then help Lin Zixian.

Suddenly, a series of crisp slaps were heard, followed by groans. The tall beauty turned back and saw that in a few moments, all the young men were on the ground, holding their swollen, bloody faces.

Lin Zixian stood there, frowning slightly, as if he hadn't done anything, holding the cigarette between his fingers, deep in thought.

One of the men on the ground tried to grab a machete, but Lin Zixian, without looking, stepped on his hand, and the sound of bones breaking was heard. The man fainted from the pain.

Lin Zixian walked over to the car where the young man was sitting.

Gao Yunliang was stunned. He hadn't seen what happened, but his men were all down. Suddenly, he saw the terrifying man walking toward him and was so scared that he tried to drive away.

A hand reached in, grabbed his neck, and pulled him out of the car window as easily as pulling a radish.

Gao Yunliang screamed, "What do you want, you...?" Before he could finish, Lin Zixian pushed the burning cigarette into his mouth, and with a flick of his finger, the still-smoking cigarette was swallowed by Gao Yunliang.