Chapter 1073 The Other Shore Flower Heather (97)

"What’s wrong?" He raised his brows slightly and turned his face to the side.

"I don’t know what’s going on with the car—it won’t start..."

Nian Shen furrowed his brows tightly.

Heather asked curiously, "How could it just stop working out of nowhere?"

Yi Yang respectfully replied, "I don’t know either. It just suddenly won’t start, and there’s nothing I can do. Mr. Nian, shall I call a tow truck?"

"Of course, call one. Tow it away and get it fixed—it’s no big deal."

Heather thought that made sense. Wealthy people could even replace their cars entirely if they wanted; why would they care about something like repairs?

"Then... I’ll call for a tow truck and follow the car to the auto shop to check the situation. And Mr. Nian..." Yi Yang glanced at Heather and said, "Sorry to trouble Miss Hai."

Heather: "..."

What?

"What do you mean by ’trouble me’?"

"Mr. Nian has a social engagement later tonight where drinking will be involved. I’m asking Miss Hai to take care of things."

"...No..." Heather’s lips twitched. "Why should I have to take care of your boss? It’s already late—I need to go home."

Not only was she being asked to stick around as a bodyguard, now she was supposed to act as a drinking shield?

"Please, Miss Hai. Mr. Nian gets stomach pains if he drinks too much."

Heather pointed at one side of her bruised and swollen face, giving an exasperated laugh. "So you think that with my face looking like this, I won’t scare everyone away at whatever social gathering he’s attending?"

"Not at all. As long as you stay by Mr. Nian’s side, no one will dare to mess with you," Yi Yang said, showing no intention of negotiating, and directly shoved the responsibility onto her shoulders. "Please, Miss Hai!"

"Hey—"

Heather was utterly helpless.

What kind of ridiculous situation was this?

Nian Shen remarked, "Looks like Yi Yang considers you someone he trusts greatly."

"..."

Thanks, but no thanks, alright?

...

And just like that, without rhyme or reason, she ended up sharing a taxi with Nian Shen to some nightlife venue—a place similar to Xicheng’s underground entertainment areas, but here in Linyang, it was the heart of the city’s bustling nightlife.

As soon as they entered, it was a cacophony of noise and commotion. Drunken people wandered about aimlessly, the music from the center of the dance floor blared loudly, and everyone followed the DJ’s rhythm, dancing wildly. The atmosphere was electric.

She used to enjoy places like this—disguising herself just enough and blending into the crowd. When there were enough people all losing themselves in the music, no one would recognize her.

If the goal is to talk business, then just stick to doing that; why is it always at places like these?

It’s all just an excuse!

Quite a few people walked past Nian Shen and Heather. Upon glimpsing Heather’s face, some were so startled they sobered up on the spot. Others assumed they’d seen a ghost and scuttled off in panic, making it quite effective for carving a path through the crowd—no one dared block their way.

Eventually, they arrived at a private room situated in a comparatively quieter part of the venue, away from the dance floor. Heather followed Nian Shen inside.

"Mr. Nian! Pleasure to meet you! We really must apologize for not arranging a welcome banquet for you sooner—please forgive us! We only just heard the news of your arrival in Linyang. How did you keep it under wraps so well?"

The private room was packed with an assortment of people—men and women alike.

Heather thought back to Xicheng; there, she’d at least recognize people. But here in Linyang, she was surrounded by strangers—an entire room full of unfamiliar faces she’d never encountered before.

Of course, Nian Shen recognized them all. He went around shaking hands and exchanging greetings.

Suddenly, a woman passing by Heather to get to the restroom froze in place, took a shocked step back, and exclaimed, "Oh my God! Who are you? Why are you here?"

Heather spread her hands open, signaling that she hadn’t blocked the woman’s way nor touched her at all.

Nian Shen turned his head and said calmly, "She’s with me. Is there a problem?"