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Chapter 32: A Toad Coveting a Swan’s Flesh
Chapter 32: A Toad Coveting a Swan's Flesh
Nowadays, being a bodyguard requires comprehensive skills, but one thing is indispensable: the ability to fight.
Don't let Ivanova's delicate and sexy appearance fool you; in reality, she is quite skilled. She is a black belt in Judo. In Russia, Judo is as popular and highly developed as Taekwondo in Korea. As a legitimate black belt, dealing with three or five big men is like child's play for her.
Zhou Lang, however, was of medium build, looked a bit quiet, and lacked visible muscle. He didn't look like a Martial Artist at all. Therefore, Ivanova was somewhat skeptical that Zhou Lang could be a bodyguard, which is why she asked if his martial arts skills were very impressive.
"My martial arts are just passable." Zhou Lang smiled slightly. He could sense that this foreign girl was quite interested in martial arts.
"When you Chinese say 'passable,' it usually means 'very impressive.' I'm a Judo black belt; when shall we spar?" Ivanova said.
Foreign girls are generally quite direct, which is really different from Chinese girls. Of course, China has straightforward and tough girls too, like Zhao Xiaorou, but such girls are rare. Most foreign girls are enthusiastic and unrestrained. This is probably why Chinese men prefer foreign girls—because they are more open and less reserved.
"That won't be necessary."
Zhou Lang paused slightly before saying this. He was a Cultivator at the Qi Refinement Stage and would likely enter the Foundation Establishment Stage before long. What would be the point of competing with an ordinary Martial Artist?
Even if he were to face the world's number one Judo expert, it would be no different from a strongman bullying a kindergartner.
"Zhou Lang, are you saying you can't do it, or are you just being humble?" Ivanova laughed. "I often train at a Judo gym, which is mostly populated by my fellow Russians. My compatriots all say that Chinese martial arts are just for show and lack practical use."
"A man should never say he can't." Zhou Lang smiled slightly. "If you want to spar, you set the time and place."
Cultivators have been rare in every era. However, in ancient and even modern China, the martial spirit has flourished, and Martial Forest experts have emerged one after another. Even though the way of martial arts has declined today, China is still full of hidden talents. Therefore, Zhou Lang did not agree that Chinese martial arts were just for show. To vindicate Chinese martial arts, he agreed to spar with Ivanova.
"Let's do it tonight. As for the location, it's to be determined."
Ivanova said. Her beautiful eyes were sparkling. Although she was enthusiastic and unrestrained, she had high standards and was somewhat cold and arrogant. She could get along with a large group of people, but she rarely talked to a single boy alone. Zhou Lang was the only exception. She didn't even know why herself. Perhaps it was because she was somewhat fascinated by the rich, masculine scent on Zhou Lang's body when they were dancing closely in the changing room that day. She vaguely felt that Zhou Lang was extraordinary.
"I still have to take Boss Li home, so I don't know when I'll be free." Zhou Lang explained. "Let's set another time."
"I'm a night owl. This is my phone number. After you finish taking Boss Li home, you can call me. Zhou Lang, you seem a bit mysterious. I'm very interested in you."
Ivanova winked at Zhou Lang and handed him a small piece of paper with her number on it.
"I will comply." Zhou Lang smiled and accepted the business card.
"Zhou Lang, I haven't seen you at work for a long time. Now that you're here, you're hitting on girls? It's already this time, and you haven't even changed your clothes. You've taken the boss's money, so you can't have such a work attitude."
Just then, The Bar's supervisor, Supervisor Cao Yushan, and the manager, Zhang Deyuan, walked over. Supervisor Cao Yushan looked at the handsome-looking Zhou Lang with a stern expression.
Originally, Zhang Deyuan and Supervisor Cao Yushan wouldn't have come over to criticize Zhou Lang just for talking to Ivanova. However, Manager Zhang Deyuan coveted Ivanova and wanted to strike up a conversation with her. He didn't expect Zhou Lang to be chatting happily with her, so he felt displeased and called Supervisor Cao Yushan over to lecture Zhou Lang.
"Manager Zhang, Zhou Lang is Boss Li's bodyguard now, not a waiter." Zhou Lang didn't speak, but Ivanova laughed instead.
"Him? How is that possible?" Zhang Deyuan was stunned, and Supervisor Cao Yushan looked skeptical.
"Go ask the boss if you don't believe it." Ivanova said.
"Zhou Lang, is this true?" Zhang Deyuan asked.
Zhou Lang nodded.
Since Zhou Lang was Li Mengxue's bodyguard, neither Supervisor Cao Yushan nor Manager Zhang Deyuan had the authority to manage him anymore, so the two had to walk away.
"That Manager Zhang is almost forty years old. It's said his child is already in middle school, yet he still wants to pester me. This really fits a Chinese idiom: a toad coveting a swan's flesh."
After Zhang Deyuan and Supervisor Cao Yushan left, Ivanova lowered her voice.
"Who told you to be so beautiful? Which boy in our bar doesn't want to get close to you?" Zhou Lang laughed. He could see that Zhang Deyuan wanted to hit on Ivanova. It wasn't just Zhang Deyuan; basically, all the male employees in The Bar had this idea, and many customers who came to consume here were also infatuated with Ivanova.
"Others might, but you never take the initiative to greet me." Ivanova smiled slightly.
Zhou Lang felt a bit awkward. Just then, his phone vibrated. He took it out and saw it was a call from Li Mengxue.
"You go ahead and get busy. I'm going to General Manager Li's office first." Zhou Lang said and left.
"This boy looks very ordinary, but why do I feel like he's different from others? The scent on him is so nice." Watching Zhou Lang's retreating back, a blush appeared on Ivanova's face.
Zhou Lang was a Cultivator; the aura on him was profound and distant, but he kept it quite restrained, so ordinary women couldn't tell. That Ivanova could vaguely sense something was quite extraordinary.
After Zhou Lang left, Supervisor Cao Yushan and Zhang Deyuan began whispering to each other.
"Did Zhou Lang really become the boss's bodyguard? This kid doesn't look like bodyguard material." Supervisor Cao Yushan whispered.
"Maybe the boss likes this kind of innocent student-type, so he got lucky." Zhang Deyuan said.
"So, Zhou Lang is just a gigolo?" Supervisor Cao Yushan asked.
"Boss Li wouldn't look at someone like me. I just want to hook up with this foreign girl, Ivanova. I've played with all kinds of women, but I've never played with a 'foreign mare'." Zhang Deyuan said.
"But it seems like Ivanova likes this kind of fresh kid, Zhou Lang. Didn't you see that she likes talking to Zhou Lang the most?" Supervisor Cao Yushan said.
"You're interested in Ivanova too?" Zhang Deyuan's face darkened.
"I'm interested, of course, but since you've set your sights on her, Manager Zhang, I have no ideas." Supervisor Cao Yushan said flatteringly. He was just a supervisor, a subordinate of Zhang Deyuan, so he dared not compete with Zhang Deyuan.
"That's more like it." Zhang Deyuan said. "It's just that this foreign girl is hard to get."
"Manager Zhang, this foreign girl is clearly hot-blooded on the inside, which is why she's flirting with Zhou Lang. If we teach Zhou Lang a lesson, he won't dare to contact Ivanova anymore. When that happens, you'll be the only one close to her. If she doesn't fall into your hands, whose will she fall into?"
Supervisor Cao Yushan said.
"But Zhou Lang is favored by Boss Li; it won't be easy to teach him a lesson." Zhang Deyuan thought for a moment and said.
"That's easy to handle. Hire a few thugs to beat Zhou Lang up and tell him not to contact Ivanova anymore. We don't need to show our faces, and Zhou Lang won't know who did it." Supervisor Cao Yushan said. "This kid will definitely be scared after getting beaten and won't dare to disobey."
"It's a pity you aren't a military strategist, kid." Zhang Deyuan nodded.
"Boss, are you looking for me?"
As soon as he entered Li Mengxue's office, Zhou Lang asked. He was very careful with his speech at The Bar and wouldn't call Li Mengxue "Sister Xue."
"Zhou Lang, just stay in my office if you have nothing to do. I'm worried that Li Qi will come to find me." Li Mengxue said.
"Okay." Zhou Lang nodded. "I met with Li Qi this morning to talk. He agreed to leave Feiyun City within half a month."
"He's that easy to talk to?"
Li Mengxue said in surprise. She didn't quite believe Zhou Lang's words. She knew that every time Li Qi came to ask her for money in the past, he would say that once he got the money, he would never pester her again, but before long, Li Qi would come knocking again.
"Villains are afraid of the Fist." Zhou Lang smiled and said.
"That's true."
Li Mengxue nodded, half-believing. She hadn't known Zhou Lang long, but she had already developed a reliance on him. Only when Zhou Lang was by her side did she feel safe.
Li Mengxue stayed at The Bar until about ten o'clock, then made a call to summon her assistant, Cao Yanzhi.
"General Manager Li, what are your instructions?"
Cao Yanzhi entered the office quickly, walked up to Li Mengxue, and bowed slightly.
She was about twenty-five years old, dressed in professional attire, with glasses on her nose—a true beauty. However, there was no smile on her face. When men saw her, the first word that popped into their heads was "cold and arrogant," and the second was "pretty."
It is said that she is a top student who graduated from a prestigious university with a degree in hotel management. As soon as she graduated, she joined Lovers Bar as Li Mengxue's assistant. In the past few years, under her management, Lovers Bar has been flourishing.
"I'm leaving in a while. You look after The Bar. If that Li Qi comes to The Bar, call me immediately." Li Mengxue instructed.
"Understood."
Cao Yanzhi said. She paused slightly and, seeing that Li Mengxue had no further instructions, prepared to leave. She spoke concisely, looked capable, and had the image of a white-collar elite.
Just as she was leaving, she glanced at Zhou Lang, who was sitting on the sofa. Zhou Lang was a part-time waiter, but now he was sitting in Li Mengxue's office; she was likely curious.
"Yanzhi, Zhou Lang is my bodyguard now." Li Mengxue knew what Cao Yanzhi was thinking and said immediately.
"Understood." Cao Yanzhi said the same thing again. Although she was slightly surprised, her footsteps did not stop.
After Cao Yanzhi left, Zhou Lang drove Li Mengxue back to the Villa.
At two in the morning, Ivanova rode a luxury motorcycle and parked it at the entrance of Lovers Bar. It was already closing time, The Bar was shut, and the other employees had all left.
"Hi, your bike is quite nice. It's best for going for a ride on a summer night."
Just as she was about to take out her phone to call Zhou Lang, Manager Zhang Deyuan walked over with a grin.
This guy Zhang Deyuan was a toad coveting a swan's flesh. Whenever he had the chance, he would stick around, and his goal was nothing more than to hit on Ivanova.
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