Taming The Hidden Bigshot By Kissing Him
Chapter 410: Your Mouth is Tougher Than Your Life

Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Your Mouth is Tougher Than Your Life

Huo Xingzhou leisurely watched him and said, "If you want someone to do something for you, you have to offer some benefits. Otherwise, who would help you, Young Master Zhong?"

Zhong Yi tried to squeeze out a smile and said, "I will offer you a three percent discount on the Future City project. Is that enough?"

"Ten percent."

"Huo Xingzhou, you’re crazy!"

A lion’s mouth indeed!

It was sheer profiteering.

The corners of Huo Xingzhou’s mouth dipped slightly as he slowly said, "I’m in no hurry anyway, but how long can Young Master Zhong hold out? In our line of business, it’s quite normal to take advantage of a situation."

"You businessmen are really dirty at heart!"

Zhong Yi took a deep breath, "Deal."

Huo Xingzhou spoke somberly, "If you had been so agreeable earlier, you wouldn’t have had to suffer so much. Old Chen, dress Young Master Zhong’s wound and stop the bleeding."

"Alright."

Old Chen began rummaging through the cabinet, looking for hemostatic medicines, gauze, and the like.

Fortunately, this was Cheng Han’s house, which was fully stocked with such things. Soon enough, everything was found.

"Please bear with it, Young Master Zhong."

Old Chen approached Zhong Yi, tore open his clothes, and saw the wound on his right shoulder.

It was actually a gunshot wound.

"Young Master, the conditions here are limited, and my skills are not that great. I can only try to stop the bleeding for you. If Young Madam were here, she could extract the bullet for you. Would you like to call her over?"

Old Chen grinned innocently, but his words could infuriate anyone.

Zhong Yi replied coldly, "No need."

Like master, like dog. This was what all of Huo Xingzhou’s people were like.

"Then I’ll just stop the bleeding, and you can find somewhere else for surgery once you’re safe."

"Mhm."

Zhong Yi agreed, enduring the pain.

Huo Xingzhou sat beside him and asked, "Now can Young Master Zhong explain why he’s here? Don’t give me any tales about fleeing from Haicheng to Moon Village."

Zhong Yi rolled his eyes.

Huo Xingzhou was certainly not going to let him off easily tonight.

Bristling with irritation, Zhong Yi said, "Paying respects to the deceased."

"Which deceased?"

"It was an elder who was very kind to me."

Red veins streaked across Zhong Yi’s eyes.

He still remembered the care and gentleness of that elder, how Granny Qiao would always bring him some tasty food first whenever she had some. He had not received much affection in this life, except for the warmth he felt with the Qiao Family.

It was for this reason that he risked coming here.

He rarely visited Haicheng, and if he returned to the Imperial Capital this time, who knew when he would be back.

"Who was this elder?" Huo Xingzhou pressed on.

Zhong Yi looked at him and said, "Everyone has their secrets. You don’t need to probe any further; there are things I won’t reveal even if you throw me out and take my life."

Huo Xingzhou’s gaze darkened; such stubbornness reminded him of Qiao Xi.

It seemed stubbornness was hereditary.

It was truly irritating.

Huo Xingzhou’s tone was harsh, "Young Master Zhong, it seems your tongue is tougher than your life."

Zhong Yi chuckled bitterly, finally managing to annoy Huo Xingzhou after being under his thumb all evening.

"Ah!"

Zhong Yi cried out in pain.

Old Chen laughed heartily, "Sorry, Young Master Zhong. I guess I was a bit too heavy-handed; you don’t mind, do you?"

Zhong Yi shook his head at him, "Just be careful."

Old Chen was definitely doing it on purpose!

After wrapping the bandage, Old Chen said, "Young Master Zhong, the bleeding has stopped."

Zhong Yi spoke through gritted teeth, "Could you get me a glass of water?"

"Sure, just a moment; I’ll boil some water for you in the kitchen."

Old Chen busied himself in the kitchen.

Huo Xingzhou looked at Zhong Yi and said, "Tell me about the assassination attempt."

There was nothing to hide about that issue.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Yi said, "Zhong Lingxiao wants me dead. By the end of the year, the Zhong Family will announce the next heir, and the old man won’t last much longer. If I die, the Zhong Family will belong to Zhong Lingxiao."

Perhaps fate favored Zhong Yi; no matter what, Zhong Lingxiao couldn’t have children.

"Did you expose this village?"

"No."

Zhong Yi hissed in pain, "I encountered people sent by Zhong Lingxiao on the national highway. I didn’t notice them and was ambushed. I managed to shake them off by car and then escaped on foot. They would likely block any suspicious vehicles on the way back to the city; Zhong Lingxiao’s influence extends to the Department of Transportation."

Alone, he had no chance of getting back to Haicheng; sooner or later, Zhong Lingxiao’s men would kill him.

He looked at Huo Xingzhou and said, "Are you returning tomorrow? President Huo, see it through to the end."

"What will you give me in return?" Huo Xingzhou asked with a cold clarity in his eyes.

"Haven’t I already given you a deal on the Future City project? Why are you still asking?"

"That was one thing; this is another."

Zhong Yi laughed in exasperation, "President Huo is truly worthy of his title, always taking advantage during a crisis."

"Young Master Zhong’s life cannot be measured in money."

Huo Xingzhou wasn’t entirely pleased. It was indeed annoying that he would bump into Zhong Yi while paying tributes in the village.

Grinding his teeth, Zhong Yi said, "Alright then, name your price."

"I want you to protect Qiao Xi as much as possible at the needle test convention in the Imperial Capital. Don’t let others tamper with the competition."

Zhong Yi’s eyes flickered, "Agreed."

Even if Huo Xingzhou hadn’t mentioned it, he would have done it anyway.

Some things were better left unsaid, but now that Huo Xingzhou had brought it up as a transaction, it seemed to negate Zhong Yi’s good intentions. He wasn’t happy about it, but there was nothing he could do to Huo Xingzhou.

"President Huo, how do you plan to take me back to Haicheng? Suddenly bringing me in might startle your wife." Zhong Yi didn’t want Qiao Xi to know he’d been in Moon Village.

Likewise.

Huo Xingzhou didn’t want that either.

Some things they both knew all too well; they just lacked evidence.

Huo Xingzhou had originally wanted to find evidence and then come clean about everything, but seeing Zhong Yi in such a state, he knew his situation was fraught with danger.

No need to clarify.

Both had the same thought; they couldn’t bring harm to Qiao Xi.

Over the years, Zhong Lingxiao’s schemes had been endless.

When Zhong Yi first returned to the Zhong Family, he had suffered a great deal and had nearly died several times.

In the past year or two, he and Zhong Lingxiao had been evenly matched.

This time, he had been careless.

Huo Xingzhou did not say this directly but instead said, "You’ll have to make do here tonight. I’ll send Old Chen to erase your tracks. Listen to my arrangements tomorrow, and Qiao Xi won’t find out."

"Fine, since I have to rely on you now. But Zhong Lingxiao is cunning, and he will certainly investigate the real reason I left Haicheng."

Zhong Yi clutched his shoulder, his face turning pale. His lips were white and dry, and he was in terrible agony.

Huo Xingzhou stood up, his tone icy, "So when you get back to Haicheng, clean up the mess and don’t drag this village into it. If he doesn’t finish you off, I won’t let you off the hook either."

"Understood."

"Stay here, and don’t die."

With that, Huo Xingzhou walked away.

Zhong Yi watched his retreating figure, his feelings complex.

He hadn’t expected that one day he would have to rely on his romantic rival, but only Huo Xingzhou could ensure his safe return to Haicheng. Once he was back in contact with Wan Jiang and the others, he would be safe.

After a night of fleeing for his life, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He just had to survive the night.

Old Chen boiled the water and brought a clean set of clothes for Zhong Yi, saying, "Young Master Zhong, you should change your clothes, the smell of blood is too strong."

"Thank you."

Old Chen chuckled, "You’re very polite."

Hopefully, when Young Master Zhong returns to Haicheng tomorrow, he can still say "thank you."