Chapter 65: He Yi
Grandpa?
Zhou Fan frowned. 'Is this him? The man Chu Tianxiang told me about? Gu Changkong, the Patriarch of the Gu Family, the one with the hundred-year-old Profound Spirit Grass?'
'Judging by the old man's expression, he doesn't look as easy to fool as Chu Tianxiang. Getting that hundred-year-old Profound Spirit Grass for free is probably going to be a little difficult!'
"Grandpa, this is my boyfriend, Zhou Fan!" Gu Feifei turned, pulled Zhou Fan by the hand, and brought him before Gu Changkong. "Brother Fan, this is my grandpa. My parents passed away when I was very young, so my grandpa is the one who's always spoiled me!"
Zhou Fan was slightly taken aback. 'This is the life-or-death situation you needed me to save you from?'
"A pleasure to meet you, sir. My name is Zhou Fan, and I'm Feifei's boyfriend!"
However, since he had already agreed to help Gu Feifei, Zhou Fan couldn't back out now. He could only force a sheepish smile and, to make it more believable, even tried to act a little nervous.
But Gu Changkong remained silent, his eyes fixed on Zhou Fan as if trying to see right through him. However, Zhou Fan had weathered many storms in his life; how could he be so easily seen through?
"So, Grandpa, what do you think of my boyfriend? I told you I didn't need you to introduce me to anyone. I wasn't lying, was I?" Seeing the situation, Gu Feifei quickly went over, grabbed Gu Changkong's hand, and deployed her unique charm offensive.
"Why didn't you tell your grandpa sooner? I've already arranged for you to meet Grandmaster He's grandson. He should be arriving any minute now!" Gu Changkong withdrew his gaze from Zhou Fan and looked at Gu Feifei with a helpless expression.
"Grandmaster He's grandson? That block of wood? No way! I have Zhou Fan now!" Gu Feifei frowned, recalling a boy she had met a few times as a child—a boy who always wore glasses, never spoke, never smiled, and was just like a block of wood. She quickly grabbed Zhou Fan's hand. "Anyway, I don't care! You set this up without asking me, so you can be the one to explain it!"
"No rush. He's here now. You two can meet first, and we'll talk after," Gu Changkong said, glancing at his phone. He smiled and waved a server over, signaling for them to start bringing out the food.
"Mr. Zhou, have we met before?" As the three of them sat drinking tea and making small talk while they waited, Gu Changkong suddenly looked at Zhou Fan. "Three years ago, in Paris. I was passing through with a few old friends when we ran into a group of assassins. Were you the one who saved us?"
'Three years ago, in Paris?'
Zhou Fan's pupils contracted instantly. 'So that's why Gu Changkong looked a little familiar the first time I saw him. I never expected a connection like this!'
"You must have me mistaken for someone else, sir. I'm just a junior employee in the same department as Feifei. How would I have the ability to save anyone?" Zhou Fan quickly composed himself and gave a slight smile.
The reason Zhou Fan had appeared on that occasion was actually because Tiger Teeth had requested his protection in advance, paying him twenty million US Dollars for the job.
Suddenly, an unsettling thought flashed through Zhou Fan's mind.
'Tiger Teeth? Grandmaster He's grandson?'
If Zhou Fan remembered correctly, among the old men with Gu Changkong that day, there was a big shot whose surname was He.
And the team leader of Tiger Teeth, that stone-faced fellow, also happened to be named He.
"Grandpa Gu, long time no see! You're still as spry as ever!" Just then, someone walked in through the door, their voice sounding gentle.
"Xiaohu, come, come, have a seat. This is my granddaughter, Feifei. You two used to play together when you were little. Lao He must have mentioned her to you!"
Gu Changkong smiled and beckoned him over, pulling him into the seat beside him.
"Feifei's all grown up. Hello!" He Yi politely extended his hand, only to be met with an eye-roll from Gu Feifei.
"Obviously. You're only a few years older than me. If you're getting on in years, am I not allowed to grow up?" Gu Feifei then looped her arm through Zhou Fan's, smiling sweetly. "Let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Zhou Fan!"
Only then did He Yi notice Zhou Fan's presence. He turned his head to look, and his eyes instantly sharpened. His body tensed up like a leopard that had just spotted its natural enemy, ready to pounce at any moment.
"Hello."
Zhou Fan, however, seemed completely unconcerned, as if he hadn't noticed the other's killing intent. He slowly extended his hand and spoke calmly.
"Long time no see."
He Yi also reached out, grasping Zhou Fan's hand. He, too, said, "Long time no see."
But this "long time no see" was distinctly different from the one he had said to Gu Changkong.
His words to Gu Changkong had been pure courtesy from a junior to an elder. But this one, directed at Zhou Fan, was laced with disbelief and an innate hostility.
The two men's hands were clasped together with no intention of letting go. They were both secretly applying force.
"Hey, He Yi, what do you think you're doing? Let go of my Brother Fan! Are you looking for trouble?"
Seeing the two of them like this, Gu Feifei thought He Yi was deliberately starting something. She immediately stood up and slapped the back of He Yi's hand, then grabbed Zhou Fan's hand, full of concern.
"You've gotten weaker." He Yi paid no mind to Gu Feifei's actions, retracting his slightly numb and tingling hand as he slowly sat back down.
"But you still can't win." Zhou Fan smiled faintly and sat down with Gu Feifei, looking at the man opposite him. He had sharp, handsome features, but his face was as expressionless as ever.