72: Chapter 72 The Wolf and the Sheep

Han Jingyang's heart rate accelerated and his blood pressure rose.

But his face was as calm as a placid lake, and he just watched Shi Xiaoya quietly.

He didn't say a word.

Jiguang Zhai grew quiet.

Shi Xiaoya tried to maintain a look of faint shyness, but under Han Jingyang's gaze, she became increasingly uncomfortable.

Time passed second by second.

After several minutes, Shi Xiaoya suddenly deflated: "Boss, you really can hold your composure. Even this doesn't move you? Are you still a man?"

Han Jingyang also secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

Not moved?

How could he not be moved?

He was no Liuxia Hui.

Nor was he a sage or Buddha without desires.

When seeing a beautiful woman, he would still look at her legs first, then her face, and then start having wild fantasies.

Saying he wasn't moved, that was just fooling ghosts; even ghosts wouldn't believe it.

There is no man in this world who doesn't like beautiful women; even eunuchs can't avoid that convention.

It was just that he knew how dangerous Shi Xiaoya was.

To exact revenge, this woman had found ways to approach He Dingkun at the age of fifteen and step by step became his confidante. Her schemes, acting skills, willpower, and execution were all top-notch.

Compare that to his younger sister, Han Jingxin; she was sixteen this year and still didn't understand anything.

Most people are born as sheep.

But some people complete their evolution in a very short time, becoming wolves at the top of the food chain.

The gap between them is even greater than the gap between wolves and sheep.

Shi Xiaoya was exactly such a wolf, looking like a sheep but actually more ferocious than any wolf.

Treat her as a sheep?

Sooner or later, he would be swallowed by her in one bite.

Of course, he and Shi Xiaoya had no grudges, and he had even done her a favor, but that wasn't grounds for him to mess around.

If he really messed around, he might get stabbed in the back by Shi Xiaoya at any moment.

This kind of woman could be a partner, but she really wasn't suitable for anything else.

In a word, he knew his own weight and also knew how formidable Shi Xiaoya was.

Therefore, he could hold back.

Han Jingyang calmly glanced at Shi Xiaoya: "Don't pull this on me in the future; I'm not buying it."

Shi Xiaoya replied seriously: "Boss, I know I was wrong. There will definitely not be a next time."

"How long until Dingshen Group falls?"

"At any time, Boss. It all depends on the authorities' attitude. Furthermore, whether Dingshen Group falls or not, He Dingkun, He Zhiqiang and his wife, and He Zhifei and his wife won't be able to escape. They will definitely go to prison, or even face the firing squad."

"What about He Zhiyan?"

"She..."

Shi Xiaoya hesitated for a few seconds: "I don't know much about this woman. I only know she is the same age as me, just six or seven months older. She worked as a print model, then started a fashion design company. She has a few brands, not very famous, but the income is good. As for the rest..."

"She wasn't involved in the management of Dingshen Group?"

"I haven't noticed any. Besides, her relationship with He Dingkun is very average. They don't meet more than a few times a year. Even when they occasionally talk on the phone, it's lukewarm. Her presence is extremely low."

"Is she clean?"

"Not sure," Shi Xiaoya shook her head: "He Zhiqiang and his wife and He Zhifei and his wife are all idiots. I can see through what they are thinking at a glance, but I can't read He Zhiyan at all."

"Listening to you, she's a formidable person."

"Indeed formidable, but I'm not sure if she poses a threat. If she has truly never participated in Dingshen Group's operations and hasn't contacted the connections He Dingkun has in the shadows, then no matter how smart she is, she is just a rich and smart socialite. But what if..."

Han Jingyang understood this 'what if'.

What if He Zhiyan was actually the true successor chosen by He Dingkun? Then this woman would be terrifying.

Hiding so well that even Shi Xiaoya hadn't noticed any clues.

One day, suddenly baring her fangs...

Terrifying!

Are women these days all this formidable?

Han Jingyang sighed.

Silly and sweet is still better.

Even a green tea bitch is better than ruthless characters like Shi Xiaoya or He Zhiyan.

However, if he really wanted to get things done, a partner like Shi Xiaoya was more reliable.

Thinking of this, he said to Shi Xiaoya: "Let's have a happy cooperation, but the terms need to be changed."

"Boss, you tell me."

"First, let Chen Xiaoming go."

"Okay."

"Second, you must fulfill your promise regarding that bronze tripod."

"That is what I should do."

"Third, change the terms. Not twenty years, not ten years, just six years. You stay by my side for six years. During these six years, you are responsible for bodyguard, driver, assistant, and even shop assistant duties. No salary during this period, and vacations will be negotiated based on circumstances."

"Huh?" Shi Xiaoya was shocked: "Boss, six years? Are you sure?"

Han Jingyang stood up and walked to the back room, saying casually as he walked: "Six years later you will be thirty; you can still normally date, marry, have children, and live a normal life."

"But..."

"No 'buts'," Han Jingyang waved his hand to interrupt Shi Xiaoya: "It's settled."

Shi Xiaoya followed Han Jingyang into the back room silently.

Han Jingyang didn't mind. He opened the safe, rummaged through it, and took out a box to hand to Xiaoya: "A gift for you to defend yourself."

Shi Xiaoya opened it carefully: "A copper coin?"

"Yes, a charm coin. It's not cheap; the market price is twenty or thirty thousand," Han Jingyang nodded: "It's even more expensive here, starting at five million. You're getting a deal; consider it me spending five million to buy six years of your youth."

"What effect does it have?"

"It can save your life at a critical moment."

"Really?"

"Mm."

Han Jingyang wasn't lying to Shi Xiaoya, and there was no need to.

Although defensive items were precious, they weren't non-existent; he had two on him right now.

Taking one that he didn't need for the moment to trade for Shi Xiaoya risking her life for him for six years was worth it!

Super worth it!

Charm coins, also called 'victory-suppressing' coins, were originally similar to amulets. Rumor had it they could ward off curses from shamans and were very popular in the Han Dynasty.

Later on, the patterns became more numerous, and their functions gradually leaned towards folklore, mostly seeking good luck, and could be applied to all aspects of life.

This charm coin was from the Kangxi period. The copper quality was very good, the characters and patterns on the surface were relatively clear, and the condition was quite good. The market price was twenty or thirty thousand, which was already considered very good among Qing Dynasty charm coins.

"Name: Qing Kangxi 'Remove Evil and Eliminate Calamity' Charm Coin."

"Grade: Rank 7."

"Attribute: Protection +2."

"Skill: Remove Evil and Eliminate Calamity."

'Yang' is interchangeable with 'calamity' (yang); 'Remove Evil and Eliminate Calamity' can be understood as removing evil and eliminating calamity.

Similar to Turning Misfortune into Blessing.

But the effect was slightly different, very subtle.

As for exactly how it was different, Han Jingyang himself couldn't explain it. Chinese is just like that; the differences between many vocabulary terms can only be felt personally and are difficult to describe with language.

Of course, regardless of what the effect of the "Remove Evil and Eliminate Calamity" skill was, Shi Xiaoya had no choice, because Han Jingyang only had this one spare, which he originally intended for Liu Jing.

Shi Xiaoya naturally didn't know this. After thanking him solemnly, she hung the coin, which was not small in size and not light in weight, around her neck and tucked it into her cleavage.

Han Jingyang shifted his gaze without a trace, but his heart rate couldn't help but accelerate.

That copper coin... was very large, and very white.

Ahem.

The copper coin with a bit of green rust must be ice-cold.

Suddenly tucked into that warm chest...

Hiss—