Chapter 75: That's a Different Price
"You're starting a company?"
Chen Yao stared at Zhou Fan, who had just announced he was starting a company and wanted her to manage it. Her voice was filled with disbelief!
"Yes. What do you think of the name Divan?" Zhou Fan nodded. Though his tone was questioning, it left no room for doubt. "On the surface, you'll be the boss. I won't be involved!"
"Wait, even if you want me to manage it, shouldn't you at least tell me what kind of company it is?" Chen Yao's head was spinning. 'He's already decided on a name?'
"Security. We'll specialize in protecting the wealthy—whoever pays the most gets our protection!" Zhou Fan's eyes narrowed as he turned to Qian Rong. "You and your two brothers will be responsible for training a batch of experts, a team on par with an assassination squad. We're not looking for numbers, we're looking for elites. Keep the team under twenty people. Got it?"
"Don't worry, Boss. As soon as Second and Third Brother get back, we'll get started. I guarantee you'll be satisfied!" Qian Rong agreed excitedly. He had been waiting for this day for a long time. The moment he saw Zhou Fan was still alive, he knew his boss would never let a vendetta go unsettled!
"As for our squad's name, let's temporarily call it 'Traceless.' We go where we're needed and leave no sign for our enemies to follow." Zhou Fan nodded and continued, "I'll give you one month. After one month, I want to see results. Then I'll give you your next assignment."
"Wait, hold on!" The more Chen Yao heard, the dizzier she felt. She quickly raised her hand to interrupt Zhou Fan. "Isn't this supposed to be a security company? What's all this about assassination?"
Zhang Long, listening from the side, was equally shocked. He had only known about Zhou Fan's astonishing medical skills; he never imagined Zhou Fan harbored such ambitions. He suddenly felt a twinge of excitement. 'If only I were ten years younger!'
"You don't need to worry about that part. I'll find someone else to train the regular security teams. You just need to get the company operational and make as much money as possible!" Zhou Fan turned to Chen Yao, then waved Xu Ruonan over. "For now, I want you to stick with this woman. Treat her as a protectee to sharpen your practical combat skills."
"Yes, Master!"
A cold glint that was at odds with her delicate features flashed across Xu Ruonan's young face.
"I'll be counting on you during this time, Xiaoyao!" Zhou Fan patted Chen Yao's shoulder, his expression earnest and profound. Then, while she was still looking completely dumbfounded, he turned and left.
"Hey, I haven't even agreed yet! And can you please stop calling me Xiaoyao?" Chen Yao's shout could be heard as the car started.
After leaving, Zhou Fan called Chu Yan. Once he learned she was already at the office, he headed straight there himself.
"Honey, how did the negotiations go?" He arrived at Chu Yan's office to find her standing by the window with a cup of coffee. He quietly approached from behind and gently wrapped her in his arms.
"We couldn't agree on a price. Their offer was too low." Chu Yan glanced at her secretary organizing files nearby, and her face instantly flushed red. Noticing the secretary seemed to have something to say but was hesitating, Chu Yan gestured with her eyes. "Xiaoli, you can step out for a moment."
Chu Yan didn't tell Zhou Fan about Wang Tianhao's parting words. 'There are too many people like him in the business world,' she thought. 'It's best to just ignore him from now on. No need to spoil Zhou Fan's mood.' Besides, she was also worried he might do something reckless.
Xiaoli stepped out of the office and gently pressed a hand to her chest. 'Oh my god, I've discovered a huge secret! The president is married, and her husband is Zhou Fan! No wonder he's always popping into the president's office for one reason or another lately.'
"Here, honey, sit down. Let me give you a shoulder rub. You must be exhausted from the past couple of days."
"Just a shoulder rub?"
"Don't tell me you want something more? I should warn you, other services cost extra!"
"Get out of here! Who said I wanted anything else?"
For once, Zhou Fan didn't try to get handsy with Chu Yan and just focused on giving her a serious massage.
Zhou Fan had no intention of telling Chu Yan about the Chen Family or Divan Company. 'It's not that I want to hide it from her,' he thought, 'I just don't see the point.'
'Some things are better left for me to handle alone.'
As the end of the workday neared, Chu Yan went back to reviewing her documents. Zhou Fan didn't return to the sales department, either. He simply sat on the sofa in her office and took out the pack of cigarettes Chen Feng had given him.
He tore open the pack. Inside, there were no cigarettes, only two pieces of paper. One was a contract transferring fifty-five percent of Chen Feng's shares to Zhou Fan. Chen Feng had already signed his part; all that was left was for Zhou Fan to add his signature.
The other was a short, rambling essay of over a hundred words.
'Damn,' Zhou Fan thought, 'Chen Feng's handwriting is hideous. How rushed was he when he wrote this?'
Although it was wordy, it all boiled down to one point.
It was a gentleman's agreement between them: Chen Feng requested that after everything settled down, Zhou Fan would transfer half of the shares to Chen Yao and help her rebuild the company.
Zhou Fan sighed softly. 'If you knew all along that the remaining shares would end up with you, why didn't you just work with Chen Yao from the start?'
'Is that mysterious power really so formidable?'
'So formidable that even a master of schemes like you had to resort to such a desperate measure?'