Chapter 37: Sensation, Gigolo

That night, Zhou Lang stayed in the Qiankun Palace of the ancestral copper coin. In the dead of night, Zhou Lang held Xiao Xi in his arms as they slept on the cold jade bed, feeling rather sentimental.

His ancestors had left this treasure behind for hundreds of years, but ever since his Old Ancestor achieved Ascension, his descendants had been unable to obtain it. As for him, he happened to be humiliated by Ye Qianqian and Nie Yuanxiong, and even beaten until he bled. It was only after his blood flowed into the ancestral copper coin that the coin recognized him as its master, opening the Qiankun Palace and allowing Xiao Xi to wake up.

Actually, he wished more that his grandfather had obtained this treasure. If that had happened, his grandfather wouldn't have died of illness, and if his grandfather had been a Cultivator, his parents wouldn't have died so young, and he wouldn't have become an orphan.

But there are no 'ifs' in this world. Even though he is a Cultivator now, he still has no way to reverse time. Regrets, in the end, are regrets that last a lifetime.

…

What Zhou Lang and Ivanova did not know was that not long after they left the Long River scenic belt, a reporter, who had been scolded black and blue by his editor for failing to get a valuable story for a month, happened to come to the place where they had sparred.

The reporter was despondent, looking at the leisurely river water, almost having the urge to jump into the river. This was because his editor had explicitly told him that if his work didn't show any improvement, he would be fired.

He was at that age where he had old parents above and young children below; if he lost this job, his whole family would likely be drinking the northwest wind. Thinking of these heartbreaking matters, his heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife.

"Sigh!"

The reporter recalled his own situation and sighed repeatedly. Suddenly, he stumbled.

"I trip while walking on flat ground, and my teeth ache even when drinking cold water. I am truly down on my luck. Tell me, how can I not even encounter a single gossip news story after so long?"

The reporter almost fell, and he couldn't help but curse. But when he lowered his head to look, he was startled, because on the cement ground in front of him, there were two footprints as deep as an inch.

"Who left these? When the Long River scenic belt was built, it was impossible to leave two such footprints on the cement! This… is this left by a legendary Martial Forest expert? If this is true, once this news is reported on the TV station, those citizens who love to chase shadows and grasp at winds will immediately be in an uproar, right?"

The reporter still had professional instincts, immediately smelling a gimmick. He became excited and immediately used his camera to film these two footprints.

…

Early the next morning, the morning news of Feiyun City broke an explosive story: A Martial Forest expert had left two footprints on the cement ground of the Long River scenic belt! It was very likely left during a duel between experts!

Subsequently, the 'Feiyun Morning Post' also published an article and pictures. For a time, this news caused a sensation in Feiyun City. Many citizens arrived early at the side of the Long River, looking for the two footprints left by Zhou Lang.

The footprints were not in any hidden location, so the citizens quickly found them. For a time, the banks of the Long River were crowded with people. More and more people came to watch, and various versions of the story began to emerge.

Moreover, some experts explained on the spot that these footprints were definitely not left when the cement was still hardening during construction, but were left later. There were even citizens who came out to testify, saying that he and his family were cooling off here yesterday evening, and he clearly remembered that there were no such footprints at the time. This indirectly corroborated that the reports on TV and in the newspapers were true; these two footprints were absolutely left by a Martial Forest expert.

Some even said that they had seen two figures floating past them by the river last night. They thought they were hallucinating, but now that they thought about it, it must have been two Martial Forest experts sweeping past them with extremely fast movement techniques!

The common people of Huaxia love to discuss such things after tea and meals. In no time, word spread from ten to a hundred, becoming more and more mystical. Consequently, many people prepared to search for the owner of these footprints, but there were no clues at all.

…

Zhou Lang came out of the Qiankun Palace of the ancestral copper coin early in the morning and returned to his room. He couldn't wait for Zhao Xiaorou to wake up before coming out; if Zhao Xiaorou woke up and couldn't find him, she would pester him about where he had gone.

Zhao Xiaorou was the person who knew the most about his secrets, but he didn't intend to let her know about the ancestral copper coin, this Heaven-Defying treasure, for the time being. When he saw the report on TV, he couldn't help but chuckle. He never expected that this matter would cause such a huge sensation.

What he didn't expect was that the reporter managed to keep his job because of the footprints he left, and the daily sales of the 'Feiyun Morning Post' soared. On the forums, reports about this matter also saw a surge in clicks. The editor-in-chief was overjoyed; not only did he not fire the reporter, but he also gave him a raise and encouraged him to work hard.

…

At four in the afternoon, Zhou Lang received a call from Li Mengxue, so he took a taxi to pick her up.

When he and Li Mengxue arrived at the Lovers Bar, it wasn't time for work yet.

As soon as they appeared in The Bar, they attracted the gazes of many bar staff. It seemed that everyone knew that Zhou Lang had become the personal bodyguard of the boss, Li Mengxue. Needless to say, this news was spread by Zhang Deyuan and Li Yushan.

But when Zhou Lang saw Manager Zhang Deyuan, he was still greatly shocked, because this guy's head was wrapped in gauze, and his Face was swollen like a pig's head.

"This was just a small lesson? This is practically a disaster. Ivanova, this girl, is so gentle in front of me, but in front of others, she is completely a violent girl."

Zhou Lang thought of Ivanova's words and almost couldn't help laughing. If this was considered a small lesson, then causing a death wouldn't be a big deal.

"Manager Zhang, what happened to you?" Li Mengxue noticed Zhang Deyuan's condition and asked with concern.

"Boss, last night, I went to eat a late-night snack on my friend's motorcycle. My friend's skills were poor, and he had drunk a few cups of cat urine, so we crashed. He didn't have much of an issue, but I was the one who suffered."

Zhang Deyuan explained with a bitter Face, his mouth twitching with pain. He noticed that Ivanova had not arrived yet, so he fabricated a story. He didn't want people to know that he had been beaten by Ivanova; that would be so shameful.

"Manager Zhang, you are truly dedicated, not taking leave even when injured. However, I see your injuries are not light, so don't force yourself. Go to the hospital for a check-up, get some medicine, and rest for two or three days. I will count it as a work-related injury, reimburse your medical expenses, and not deduct your salary."

Li Mengxue thought for a moment and said. She was a person who was very good to her employees, unlike typical bosses who were harsh to death and heartless.

"Thank you, Boss." Zhang Deyuan said quickly. He was really worried about meeting Ivanova later and having his lie exposed.

"Boss, let me take Manager Zhang to the hospital." Li Yushan said quickly. This guy was very close to Zhang Deyuan.

"Okay, be careful on the road."

Li Mengxue nodded and went upstairs with Zhou Lang to her office.

And Zhang Deyuan and Li Yushan also left The Bar quickly.

"Everyone saw it, right? Manager Zhang and Team Leader Li were right. This Zhou Lang really climbed a high branch and became the boss's gigolo."

"Yeah, this kid's ancestral grave must be emitting green smoke; he's had such dog-shit luck."

"Why doesn't such a good thing fall on me? If I could follow the boss every day, eat together, or even sleep together, I would be willing even if it meant living ten years less."

…

Just after Zhou Lang left, some waiters in The Bar started whispering, especially a few beautiful waitresses who seemed to look down on Zhou Lang.

They didn't expect that Zhou Lang became Li Mengxue's bodyguard based on his own strength. Truth be told, Zhou Lang, a dignified Cultivator, being a bodyguard for Li Mengxue was actually lowering his status. However, if these guys knew that the one who left the footprints on the Long River bank was Zhou Lang, they would probably be shocked out of their wits.

Listening to their tone, it seemed like Zhou Lang was a kept man. They were very disdainful, but in reality, they were very envious of Zhou Lang because Li Mengxue was a great beauty. Being a personal bodyguard by a great beauty's side was indeed a stroke of luck.

"Zhou Lang is not a gigolo." Just as a group of people were discussing, Ivanova walked in.

"The facts are right in front of us, and you are still speaking up for him? Ivanova, you haven't taken a liking to that kid Zhou Lang, have you?" A female team leader rolled her eyes and said.

"Zhou Lang can be the boss's bodyguard, of course, because he has the ability."

Ivanova said. After a night of struggling, she had thought it through. Since she was a child, she had wanted to find a man as strong as her father, and now Zhou Lang was who-knows-how-much stronger than her father. Therefore, even if Zhou Lang had three wives and four concubines, she was willing to follow him, because her heart had long been captured by Zhou Lang.

"With his look, could it be that he is some Martial Forest expert?" Someone laughed.

"Exactly. However, if he can be a gigolo and win the boss's favor, that can be considered a skill."

…

The crowd kept discussing, mostly making sarcastic remarks about Zhou Lang.

"Block the door for me, don't let anyone in!"

Just as the staff in The Bar were whispering, a large group of people holding iron rods rushed into the entrance of The Bar's lobby. The leader was none other than Li Qi, who had promised Zhou Lang he would leave Feiyun City.

Behind Li Qi was a sturdy man, around thirty years old, wearing sunglasses, playing with a pair of iron balls in his hand, looking like a big brother.

The Bar staff, including Ivanova, didn't understand what was happening when the people who rushed in closed the door of The Bar lobby.

And outside The Bar, there were more than a dozen hooligan-looking people standing guard, placing a large sign at the entrance of The Bar that read 'The Bar is closed tonight'. It seemed that the people Li Qi brought had completely sealed off the Lovers Bar.

"You… what are you doing?" A female team leader stepped forward and asked Li Qi with courage.

"Slap!"

Li Qi suddenly attacked, knocking the female team leader to the ground, and sneered: "Let Li Mengxue and Zhou Lang come out!"

The Bar staff were frightened by Li Qi's ferocity and didn't dare to make a sound for a while. Ivanova also remained silent for the time being because she didn't know what had happened!