【Chapter One】 The forecast had called for rain, but after a perfectly clear morning, the wind finally picked up around noon.

However, many people had been lulled into a false sense of security by the clear blue sky early on and hadn't prepared for the change when they stepped out. Forget umbrellas or raincoats; they were dressed for the hottest summer day.

As Wang Zhuo and his companions strolled down Nanjing Road, they kept encountering sudden gusts of wind that lifted the skirts of attractive women—both long and short—revealing tantalizing glimpses of what lay beneath...

"Working around here is too blissful," Zhou Huai'an murmured, wiping his glasses. He hadn't dared to take them off, afraid of missing any of the fine sights.

"Haha, you got that right. That blonde girl in the thong just now? Absolutely stunning!" Geng Bin enthusiastically agreed, then turned to Wang Zhuo, "Boss, you're worldly. Can you tell us, do foreign women generally shave down there?"

Wang Zhuo shook his head, caught between amusement and frustration. "I suppose they must. I’ve never actually seen up close."

The truth was, he had indulged his curiosity and peeked a few times. Indeed, every foreign woman he'd seen was smooth. Later, Fatty Long had analyzed it as a cultural difference: from a health standpoint, hair removal was more hygienic, preventing the growth of germs or parasites.

Fatty Long was the undisputed expert on such matters. He claimed that after the massive "Yan Zhao Gate" scandal of '08, developed nations in Europe and America had held extensive debates centered on why Hong Kong women didn't shave, viewing it as unhealthy, unhygienic, and sloppy. This suggested that for Westerners, hair removal had become routine grooming.

"Almost there. We turn at this corner, and the bank is right there," Wang Zhuo pointed toward a bank ahead. "Then a quick left, and Shengshi Wangchao is just a dozen meters further."

"But we haven't seen enough yet!" Geng Bin sounded genuinely reluctant.

"How about we sit on that bench up ahead for a while?" Zhou Huai'an suggested. "This is a rare opportunity."

As he spoke, he subtly gestured toward his phone—it seemed they were fully prepared to snap photos.

"You two go ahead and sit then. I need to head back," Wang Zhuo said, looking up at the darkening clouds. "This rain looks like it’s coming on fast."

"Let him go first; we'll sit for a bit," Geng Bin said, nudging Zhou Huai'an with his elbow and pointing toward the distance.

Across the street, a stunning beauty was walking quickly, holding a small floral parasol. She wore a knee-length, blue gauze skirt. Light fabrics like that despised the wind; the slightest breeze would lift the front facing the wind, while the back would billow out like a flag, offering a view of what lay beneath.

This was not the half of it. The beautiful woman had a figure that curved dramatically—front and back—and the two sections of smooth, bare calves revealed beneath her skirt were rounded and fair. Though she wore sunglasses obscuring half her face, her perfectly upturned nose and full, rosy lips sparked even wilder fantasies. She was, quite simply, a perfect gift sent to men by the heavens.

Zhou Huai’an and Geng Bin immediately settled onto the bench, pretending to chat while secretly tracking the woman with their eyes. Just then, a light breeze stirred, sending some scraps of paper rolling across the street. Both men inwardly rejoiced—a real gust was coming!

"Huh?"

To their surprise, Wang Zhuo suddenly moved, walking toward the woman. Just as a strong gust hit, he reached her side, taking one hand to steady her swaying umbrella while simultaneously brushing a hand behind her to press down the skirt edge that was just beginning to lift against the wind.

Zhou Huai’an and Geng Bin were left gaping. The wind passed. The woman instinctively held the front of her skirt, but the back was shielded by Wang Zhuo. This gust only managed to puff the skirt out a few times, granting the two onlookers a few extra centimeters of visible thigh, but no more.

Glanced at by Wang Zhuo with a knowing, half-smile, the two men managed awkward, dry laughs—one scratching his head, the other managing a strained grin. The mortification was palpable.

"The weather is so strange today," the woman complained with a wry smile. "Walking this short distance, my skirt has flown up three times already, and someone even whistled at me. I wish I’d worn jeans."

Nanjing Road was never short of people. Wang Zhuo very much wanted to give her prominent rear a squeeze for his own pleasure, but it was too exposed. He reluctantly withdrew his hand.

"Whoever saw it, may they be sleepless tonight," Wang Zhuo chuckled wickedly.

"You’re making someone hate you right now because you just held my skirt down for me," she teased, sticking her tongue out playfully.

Wang Zhuo scratched his head. "You mean those two guys over there? They’re actually my classmates."

...

After buying the gift for his girlfriend, Geng Bin and Zhou Huai’an said goodbye to Wang Zhuo and headed back to school.

A torrential rain was beating against the car windows. Zhou Huai’an suddenly said, "Fatty, why don't we get off at the bus stop right outside the school gate?"

Geng Bin looked surprised. "Are you crazy? In rain this heavy, you’d get soaked even under an umbrella walking from the bus stop to the school entrance."

"Why are you so slow on the uptake?" Zhou Huai’an grinned slyly. "Exactly because the rain is so heavy that we should get off there. Think about it—so few people have umbrellas today. How many beauties are getting completely drenched? Don't you want to see?"

Geng Bin instantly understood. After a shared, knowing chuckle, they agreed to alight at the bus stop.

Geng Bin suddenly remarked, "Hey, Glasses, did you notice Wang Zhuo’s relationship with Sister Qi? It might be more than just professional."

"More than professional?" Zhou Huai’an fell into thought.

Geng Bin's eyes lit up. "Yeah! When he was blocking the wind for Sister Qi, I swear I saw him graze her butt."

"No way. I was watching pretty closely too, and I didn't see any such move. Maybe you saw it wrong?" Zhou Huai’an wasn’t entirely sure.

"Either way, they seem to be flirting a bit," Geng Bin stated confidently.

"Now that you mention it, I do sense something now," Zhou Huai’an chuckled knowingly. "See? I told you. Don't let his serious act at school fool you; on the outside, he’s wilder than any of us."

Geng Bin nodded repeatedly. "Looks like there's something going on there. No wonder he drives that big commercial van all the time. Heh heh, I get it now..."

...

At that very moment, Wang Zhuo was sitting with a burly man—whose arms were as thick as legs—in a teahouse on Nanjing Road, sipping tea, listening to the rain, and catching up.

This strong man was slightly shorter than Wang Zhuo, powerfully built with broad shoulders and a thick waist. His features held a faint resemblance to Wang Zhuo’s. This was Lu Weimin, Wang Zhuo’s cousin, who had served as Guan Shichen’s driver and bodyguard for several years.

After more than half a year apart, Wang Zhuo had grown significantly taller, now towering over his cousin. He was no longer the poor kid who once relied on his cousin for handouts; his current wealth was considerable, needless to say.

If truth be told, Lu Weimin was indispensable to how Wang Zhuo met Guan Yingying, Qi Fei, Qiu Lu, and entered the jade gambling business. Had Lu Weimin not initially intended to introduce Wang Zhuo to Guan Shichen by taking him to the antique street, Wang Zhuo's life trajectory would certainly have followed a very different path.

If Lu Weimin’s old job was like being the chauffeur for a wealthy family in the old society, then Guan Yingying was the young mistress, and Wang Zhuo—that toad—was now involved in a relationship with the mistress that was decidedly murky...

Lu Weimin was unaware of Wang Zhuo’s many secrets. Since Guan Shichen’s company had gone bankrupt, Lu Weimin had been unemployed for a while. He took some time to travel and relax, then found a girlfriend, living quite contentedly. Wang Zhuo figured he had rested enough, so he summoned him with a phone call, intending to arrange a job for him.

"It’s truly a turn of the wheel of fortune," Lu Weimin laughed heartily. "This time last year, I was trying to introduce you to Boss Guan for a position similar to mine. Now the tables have turned—Boss Guan's daughter is working for you, and now even I’m looking to work under you."

Wang Zhuo nearly spat out his tea. Lu Weimin’s phrase, "Boss Guan’s daughter is working for you," meant working for him, in the sense of employment, but in Wang Zhuo’s ears, it sounded far too suggestive—especially since he had, in fact, "worked" her before.

Coughing twice, Wang Zhuo managed to ask, "Cousin, how much did Uncle Guan pay you annually?"

"Last year was the peak. Salary plus miscellaneous things, it was about eighty thousand," Lu Weimin estimated.

"I'll give you one hundred and eighty thousand," Wang Zhuo stated without hesitation. "A publicly listed company has too many bureaucratic headaches; if the salary is too high, the board of directors or the CSRC will raise issues. I’ll give you a mid-management title, something like Manager or Deputy Director on your business card."

"Deal." Lu Weimin wasn't one to be overly sentimental. In his view, helping Wang Zhuo when he had money was expected; now that Wang Zhuo was wealthy, helping him was just as natural. Brothers shouldn't be polite to each other.

"Don't worry about housing. I'll buy you a place later," Wang Zhuo chuckled wickedly. "But don't mention this to your girlfriend yet. I really don't want my new sister-in-law coming after me for the apartment."

"I knew you were calculating, kid," Lu Weimin laughed, then grew serious. "It’s dishonest of me to ask you to pay for a house in Jiangzhou, where property is so expensive. How about this: you cover the down payment, and I’ll take care of the rest of the mortgage myself when I have the funds."

"We can discuss that later," Wang Zhuo replied noncommittally with a nod.

"Right, if you’re paying me one eighty a year, you’re not planning on having me drive you around again, are you?" Lu Weimin asked.

"Uh..." Wang Zhuo scratched his head, looking slightly awkward. "Actually, it's somewhat similar to your old job requirements. As you know, I’m not afraid of much, but we have women in high-level positions in the company who travel frequently. It’s genuinely worrying to have them without someone reliable for protection."

"I understand," Lu Weimin smiled gently. "Times have changed, and the social atmosphere is poor. It’s risky for them not to have reliable people around." He paused. "So, you want me to recruit a few more people?"

"That's the idea," Wang Zhuo confirmed. "You handle the compensation packages; I trust you won't mistreat friends or shortchange me."

Lu Weimin was a former special forces operative and had years of bodyguard experience; finding a few trustworthy people in that line of work shouldn't be difficult. That's why Wang Zhuo was happy to delegate the entire task, saving effort and worry.

Wang Zhuo's thoughts were simple, but Lu Weimin frowned. "Young Miss Guan and Sister Qi are both too young. I might have to find some women for you..."