Chapter 66: Targeted by the Paparazzi

Masvi owned an apartment in Jiangzhou, a fact that had already been reported by the media. It was in Jiangwan Garden. Compared to the Artificial Island, of course, it was nothing worth boasting about, but with prices nearing fifty thousand per square meter, Jiangwan Garden was certainly considered a high-end neighborhood in Jiangzhou.

Yang Changfeng had no idea about this place. He hadn't been in Jiangzhou for very long and knew little about the city. That was also why he hadn't gotten rid of Wang Hu directly—he wasn’t familiar with the terrain, let alone the customs and hidden rules. How many men like Wang Hu lurked in Jiangzhou’s underworld? How many predators were hiding in the shadows? These were things he needed to know. By using Wang Hu as bait, he could draw out as many as possible; otherwise, he would have to spend even more time understanding these people.

“How many men like Wang Hu are there in Jiangzhou?” Driving steadily away from the gang wielding knives, who were now far behind them, Yang Changfeng posed the question to the two women from the television station.

Masvi snorted softly; these were questions best directed at her.

“Let’s drop them off first. I’m not in a hurry.” Masvi rolled down the window, her head throbbing. She had no idea what scene she would face next, and inviting Yang Changfeng to be her bodyguard would require privacy, without outsiders present.

Yang Changfeng nodded. “Alright.”

The two women lived near the TV station. Having been terrified by the night’s events, they were probably considering moving. Even though Yang Changfeng had told Wang Hu to leave them alone, they didn't dare believe his words would be enough.

Those men who had dominated Jiangzhou for years weren't people to be trifled with. Even if Yang Changfeng wasn’t afraid of them and they couldn’t deal with him for the time being, they might still vent their anger on others. That was their usual tactic—killing the chicken to scare the monkeys. For people like them, it was a common maneuver.

Yang Changfeng was confident Wang Hu wouldn’t dare trouble the two women again. The man had a family and children; that was his weakness, and he wouldn’t risk them for anything.

This was also one of the advantages of acting in his current capacity. In the past, threatening an enemy’s family would have been a breach of discipline.

The woman in the blue cheongsam told Yang Changfeng that Wang Hu wasn’t even considered top-tier among Jiangzhou’s gangs, not even first-rate. However, he was adept at networking with other gangsters. From what they knew, several station leaders who had sworn brotherhood with figures from the underworld were close to Wang Hu—they often went to Linjiang Teahouse together.

“Their wives and children all live in Jiangzhou, right?” Yang Changfeng asked.

The woman in the red cheongsam nodded. “Actually, they live in Jiangwan Garden too.”

That was good.

“Go back and tell them I told Wang Hu myself—I don’t mind using their wives and children as bargaining chips to play a couple of rounds with them. Tell them not to bother me,” said Yang Changfeng.

Masvi’s face went pale—this man was truly a desperado.

Nowadays, all the gangsters in Jiangzhou were striving to appear civilized. There was even a charity gala in a few days, an attempt to shed their dark skins and become respectable citizens. Using people’s families as leverage was something left to small-time thugs. It was no longer something the big players did themselves.

“Wang Hu will tell them that my way is to root out problems completely. Don’t worry, you’re free now. Work hard and try to be good people,” Yang Changfeng advised.

The two women could hardly believe it, yet desperately hoped it was true.

This man was nothing like those gangsters.

As they got out, both women sincerely thanked him. If Yang Changfeng truly saved them from disaster, it would be a new lease on life. The price they had paid these days—no matter how greedy they’d once been—was enough.

No one could have guessed that before long, these two women—who through hard work would become well-known, upright journalists—would one day become Yang Changfeng’s protectors in turn. Fate is a strange thing: sow good seeds, and you reap a bountiful harvest. Sometimes, destiny weaves connections that no one could have predicted.

Back in the car, Masvi sneered, “I never took you for such a saint.”

“Indeed. Perhaps that’s the biggest difference between people like us and those in your entertainment industry,” Yang Changfeng replied coolly. “You see helping others as a transaction. Without profit, anyone who helps is a naive saint. We, on the other hand, often act simply out of conscience; our motives aren’t so dirty.”

At the intersection, Yang Changfeng glanced in the rearview mirror. A car had been tailing them for some time—a battered old Nissan. The driver was alone, wore sunglasses, was overweight, and sported a big beard. He certainly didn’t look like an upstanding citizen, yet didn’t seem dangerous either.

Who was this?

Masvi hadn’t noticed Yang Changfeng’s divided attention; she was fuming.

How many times had this man irritated her tonight?

“You’re looking down on us!” she snapped through gritted teeth.

Yang Changfeng replied offhandedly, “I’ve never thought highly of you people.”

There was simply no way to continue the conversation.

Masvi vowed silently: You love money, don’t you? Fine, soon I’ll name a price you can’t refuse. Once you become my employee, I’ll show you how I deal with people like you!

Yes—deduct your pay. If you keep up this attitude, I’ll dock your wages!

No matter how high your status on the street, once you’re my employee, even a dragon must coil up!

Thinking of how satisfying it would be to discipline this man as his boss, Masvi couldn’t help but smile. Yang Changfeng was startled—he almost mistook the brake for the accelerator. Was this woman insane, or was she a masochist, smiling after being berated so harshly?

Poor soul, already twisted by the entertainment industry!

The car started up again, but this time, Yang Changfeng didn’t follow the navigation. Instead, he took the main road. The map showed several intersections ahead; it would be easy to lose the tail.

“What’s wrong?” Masvi sensed something was off, but her anger made her blurt out, “You’re not thinking of taking me somewhere deserted to take advantage of me, are you?”

Take advantage of you?

Yang Changfeng looked Masvi up and down. He couldn’t deny she was very beautiful.

But when he thought of all the filth in the entertainment world, he felt not the slightest interest.

“With someone like you, I’d feel embarrassed to take advantage of you even on the street. I don’t share those rotten tastes with your industry’s producers and boy toys,” Yang Changfeng retorted viciously.

Masvi was stunned, but did not get angry.

She suddenly wondered if entering the entertainment industry had been a mistake.

Why did so many people assume she was dirty too?

At every event, the organizers did everything they could to take advantage, justifying it with, “You’re already tainted, so what does one more matter?”

Masvi had put up with it—they were the patrons, after all, and she could only grumble.

But for ordinary people to think she was unclean too—was there really no integrity left in the entertainment world?

She felt mentally and physically exhausted. The crushing pressure she now faced made her forget to ask Yang Changfeng what his intentions were.