With Pan Bohua’s people watching, Xia Xiaolan quickly learned of Zhang Jiangdong’s arrival in New York.

The councilor didn’t seem to consider a small figure like her worth his attention – at least that’s how it appeared – allowing Xia Xiaolan to study quietly at Cornell.

Zhang Jiangdong repeatedly defied Xia Xiaolan’s expectations.

She saw him as an undisputed powerhouse, and going up against such a figure in America seemed to leave her with virtually no chance of winning.

Before Cui Yiru mentioned when she would depart, Xia Xiaolan received a call from Qi Wei:

“There’s a woman called Joan who keeps coming to see Zhou Yi these past few days. Should I intervene?”

Ye Xiaoqiong was in New York again?

Too many things had happened lately – Cui Yiru’s sudden appearance, Chen Qing’s stock market scam – everything happening at once. Xia Xiaolan had no time to deal with Zhou Yi’s situation. She had asked Qi Wei to watch over Zhou Yi and guide her in a positive direction. Xia Xiaolan could see Qi Wei’s considerable ambition, and having made an agreement, Qi Wei wouldn’t slack in monitoring Zhou Yi to achieve her own goals.

Sure enough, Ye Xiaoqiong’s visits to Zhou Yi had aroused Qi Wei’s vigilance.

“You and Zhou Yi are close now, you must be her best friend at the language school, right? I imagine she wouldn’t hide anything from you. Do you know what this Joan wants with her?”

“She just takes Zhou Yi out for meals. Joan picks her up right after class, and Zhou Yi returns very late. I don’t know what they do, but it’s affecting Zhou Yi’s study plan… If there’s constant interference, I can’t guarantee she’ll pass the Level 106 test within two months.”

Qi Wei seemed even more anxious than Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan had given her a two-month “probation period” – if Zhou Yi could pass the language school’s Level 106 test, Xia Xiaolan would arrange a valuable internship for Qi Wei.

Since then, Qi Wei has taken Zhou Yi’s studies very seriously.

First, she persuaded Zhou Yi to reduce her under-the-table work hours at the Chinese restaurant to no more than 4 hours daily.

Then she helped organize Zhou Yi’s study plan.

It wasn’t that Zhou Yi didn’t know how to study – she knew too many methods. The ones Zhou Wenbang had researched for her, what Xia Xiaolan had told her, what the language school teachers taught – everything was jumbled together without direction.

Qi Wei helped Zhou Yi sort it out bit by bit.

Recently, Zhou Yi passed the test and moved up to Class 102.

Qi Wei had pinned her future hopes on Zhou Yi and wouldn’t allow anyone to interfere. When Joan started visiting Zhou Yi, Qi Wei was very unhappy.

Xia Xiaolan mentioned that she and Zhou Yi had a good relationship, and Qi Wei agreed – the two spent all day together, and their friendship grew rapidly.

But when Joan appeared, Qi Wei sensed something different – Zhou Yi trusted Joan even more than her.

Xia Xiaolan understood Qi Wei’s complaints.

Poor foolish Zhou Yi.

She probably thought she’d made two good friends in America – Ye Xiaoqiong and Qi Wei… but actually, both were nice to her for ulterior motives.

Xia Xiaolan felt no sympathy for Zhou Yi, only emphasizing one point to Qi Wei:

“There will always be various distractions when working toward a goal. It doesn’t matter who comes looking for Zhou Yi – just complete your task of helping her pass Level 106 in two months.”

Qi Wei was stumped.

She was just the unfortunate nanny.

When the little master doesn’t want to study, what can the unfortunate nanny do but coax her?

In this regard, Qi Wei rather envied Zhou Yi. Despite her lack of motivation, people were planning things for her, pushing this stubborn donkey forward. Unlike herself, who had come to America alone, having to rely entirely on herself!

Never mind, she’d endure it – a nanny should be professional. Qi Wei refused to accept defeat. If she could make it to America, she could surely achieve the life she wanted – it was just one Zhou Yi! If she couldn’t handle Zhou Yi, what kind of lawyer would she make in the future?

Qi Wei rolled up her sleeves.

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help but smile.

Qi Wei was quite amusing – plain-looking but containing tremendous energy.

Having such a person around was Zhou Yi’s good fortune.

“Though with Ye Xiaoqiong back in America, Second Young Master Du’s factory business must be doing well for her to travel to America so frequently.”

After hanging up with Qi Wei, Xia Xiaolan mused to herself.

Thinking of Ye Xiaoqiong led her to Du Zhaoqi, and from him to Du Zhaohui.

Strangely, Du Zhaohui hadn’t contacted her in quite a while. Xu Jing and Ma Hai must have bothered him plenty, yet he hadn’t come to seek credit from Xia Xiaolan – very unlike his style.

“Did he take the wrong medicine?”

No, Du Zhaohui had never taken the right medicine, had he?

Xia Xiaolan knew his neurotic behavior might be a protective facade, but his image of mental instability was deeply ingrained – Xia Xiaolan had developed a conditioned response to it.

…

“Ah—”

The sea breeze made Du Zhaohui’s nose itch. Sneezing would ruin his image, so he forcefully held it back.

Of course, he needed to maintain his image, especially in certain special situations. Du Zhaohui absolutely couldn’t show weakness.

Like now.

He had been forcibly “invited” onto the boat, with seven or eight guns pointed at his head – any slight movement could cause misunderstanding.

“Ah Hua, don’t be nervous. If they wanted to kill me, they would have done it already.”

Ah Hua wasn’t as optimistic as the young master.

Maybe they weren’t shooting now because they were too close to the dock – inconvenient to dispose of a body. Perhaps they were waiting to get farther out before acting.

Of course, Du Zhaohui was optimistic!

He’d already spotted Chai Hai on the boat. The people who had forcibly invited him aboard must be Master Qiu’s men – which was why he felt at ease. He had no deadly feud with Master Qiu. If Liu Tianquan’s men had invited him onto a boat, Du Zhaohui wouldn’t have been so confident.

Given such an opportunity, Liu Tianquan would kill him!

Chai Hai raised his hand, “Lower your guns. How can you brandish weapons at Young Master Du? He’s Master Qiu’s guest.”

As soon as Chai Hai finished speaking, everyone put away their guns.

Du Zhaohui spoke with a sarcastic smile: “Manager Chai, what’s the meaning of inviting me onto the boat like this? If Master Qiu wanted to see me, he only needed to say so – I could have gone to Fujian Province for some seafood. Why go to all this trouble!”

Calling him “Manager Chai” was mocking Chai Hai as being like an emperor’s eunuch.

Of course, Master Qiu was no emperor… but this good-for-nothing Chai Hai was a eunuch!

Chai Hai ignored the malicious title.

“Young Master Du, so you do know that Master Qiu has always treated you with courtesy. But you’ve been dishonorable, secretly having people investigate Master Qiu’s affairs – did you think we wouldn’t know? Our business may not be as big as Cheng Rong Group, and our status naturally isn’t as precious as Young Master Du’s, but we forbid people from prying into our business!”

“Oh, you kidnapped me just to say this nonsense?”

Du Zhaohui showed no fear.

Chai Hai was also angry, “This isn’t nonsense. You might be too optimistic, thinking we wouldn’t dare touch you in Hong Kong… Young Master Du, I advise you not to think that way. For the livelihood of our many brothers, we dare to do anything.”

Chai Hai was so irritated he dropped the honorific for Du Zhaohui.

Ah Hua was very nervous, but Du Zhaohui was completely brazen:

“Fine then, I know you’re not afraid. So go ahead, have your men shoot me dead.”