Relatives in a Foreign Land (3)

In the awkward atmosphere, Zhuifeng quickly regained his composure. He gently pulled at Uncle Wang, who was still visibly agitated, and whispered, "Grandpa, they're not bad people. They're my bodyguards."

"What did you say?"

Seeing Uncle Wang's surprised expression, Zhuifeng lowered his head, looking like a child who had been caught doing something wrong. He replied softly, "They're my friends… and my bodyguards. They're not bad people. If you don't like them, I'll send them away."

Looking at Zhuifeng, who seemed so timid and unsure, Uncle Wang opened his mouth a few times but couldn't get any words out. Finally, he sighed. "Ah, I really am getting old and confused. When I asked if you'd eaten earlier, you said 'we' instead of just 'I.' I should have realized then that they were your friends. Since they're your friends, how could Grandpa dislike them? Silly child. But why do you call them your bodyguards?"

Scratching his head, Zhuifeng replied, "They're my friends, but they're also bodyguards assigned to me by my mom. Is that… a contradiction?"

The mention of Zhuifeng's mother reignited Uncle Wang's anger. "Your mom gave you bodyguards? Then why did they ruin your face? Xiao Feng, is there something you're not telling me? Don't be afraid—tell Grandpa, and I'll stand up for you."

It seemed Uncle Wang harbored even more resentment toward Zhuifeng's mother than Zhuifeng himself. The realization warmed Zhuifeng's heart even more. "Grandpa, a lot has happened since you left. It's a long story. Why don't we find a place to sit down and talk?"

"Alright, we'll talk at home. But…" Uncle Wang glanced at Qiu Nuo and the others, still wary of their presence.

Zhuifeng smiled bitterly, unsure how to reassure him. No matter where he went, Qiu Nuo and the others were bound to follow. With a resigned sigh, he resorted to a tactic he had seen girls use before. Clinging to Uncle Wang's arm like a child, he pleaded, "Grandpa, trust me. They really are my friends. They would never hurt me."

Faced with such earnestness, Uncle Wang could only relent. However, with so many bodyguards—more than 40 of them—it was impossible for all of them to follow inside. Qiu Nuo selected a few to accompany them while instructing the others to disperse and remain hidden nearby.

As they started walking, Zhuifeng noticed that Uncle Wang had stopped in his tracks. Returning to his side, he asked, "What's wrong, Grandpa?"

Uncle Wang pointed to the figures moving swiftly into hiding and asked hesitantly, "Those people… they're soldiers, aren't they?"

Zhuifeng scratched his nose awkwardly. "I think they're from some special forces unit." Then he tugged on Uncle Wang's arm, trying to ease his concerns. "It's nothing. These two guys here…" He pointed at Qiu Nuo and Zheng He. "They're Zhongnanhai bodyguards."

"Zhongnanhai bodyguards?" Uncle Wang chuckled. "Xiao Feng, have you been watching too much TV? Those shows are all fake."

Seeing that Uncle Wang didn't believe him, Zhuifeng blurted out, "Grandpa, I'm not lying. You have one too, don't you? One of my Zhongnanhai bodyguards has gone ahead to greet your bodyguard to prevent any misunderstandings."

"Young Master…" Qiu Nuo felt a headache coming on. While he didn't know why Uncle Wang's son had hidden the truth from him, he was certain there was a reason. Regretting Zhuifeng's words, Qiu Nuo shook his head and nervously explained, "Uncle Wang, the young master is just joking. I'm just a regular security guard, not a Zhongnanhai bodyguard."

"Qiu Nuo, you…" Zhuifeng was about to scold him for lying to his grandfather, but when he saw Qiu Nuo's helpless expression, he realized the truth of the situation. Smiling apologetically, Zhuifeng turned back to Uncle Wang and said, "Haha, Grandpa, I've been watching too many Zhongnanhai bodyguard movies lately. It's all I've been thinking about."

"You young people…" Uncle Wang shook his head as he let Zhuifeng lead him forward. "Movies are a waste of time. You should read more books instead. By the way, Xiao Feng, you should be in your fourth year of university now, right? What's your major? My granddaughter just started college this year. Her first-choice university was Oriental University."

Zhuifeng's expression darkened for a moment. If he hadn't spent so much time in a coma, he really would have been in his fourth year. Hearing Uncle Wang mention Oriental University, however, his mood shifted, and his face took on a peculiar look. "Grandpa, did you say N City's Oriental University?"

Uncle Wang didn't notice his change in expression and nodded. "Yes, I think it's in N City. I'm too old to understand you young people anymore. Why skip out on prestigious schools like Peking University or Tsinghua University to attend a school that's only been around for three years? Everyone acts like getting into that university is a badge of honor. Is its education really better than that of Peking or Tsinghua?"

Hearing this, Qiu Nuo couldn't help but glance at Zhuifeng with a smirk. After all, Oriental University was founded by the Oriental Group.

Rolling his eyes at Qiu Nuo, Zhuifeng helped Uncle Wang along and explained, "Its education might not necessarily be better, but it's not inferior either. And when it comes to facilities, it's the best in the country. Grandpa, you can rest assured—choosing Oriental University is a wise decision."

Uncle Wang tilted his head and gave him a sidelong glance. "Why do you sound exactly like my son? Zi Yun," he called out to the maid. "Call Jian'er and tell him there's an urgent matter at home—he needs to come back immediately."

Turning back to Zhuifeng, Uncle Wang continued, "I don't care much about facilities. Hardship builds character, after all. But she's just a girl, going so far away… if anything were to happen to her…" He sighed deeply.

What could possibly happen to her? Zhuifeng thought to himself, chuckling softly. Even if she doesn't have as many bodyguards as I do, she'd still have six or seven.

"Xiao Feng, what are you laughing at?"

"Ah… oh, nothing!" Zhuifeng quickly said. "Grandpa, don't worry. Nothing will happen to her because… because I'm there. I'll take care of her."

"You?" Uncle Wang looked at him doubtfully. "Aren't you studying at Chongqing University?"

"Well… I transferred."

"Really? Having an older brother like you looking out for her would be a relief. But you're still just a kid yourself…"

While Zhuifeng felt a surge of warmth from Uncle Wang's concern, like most people, he wasn't a fan of overly protective relatives. Especially when their worries were unnecessary.

When Uncle Wang seemed ready to continue his lecture, Zhuifeng quickly pointed ahead to distract him. "Grandpa, is that your house?"

"What do you mean, your house? You called me Grandpa, so this is your house too!"

A lump formed in Zhuifeng's throat, making it difficult to speak. Grandpa, don't worry. Even if my sister doesn't need my protection, I'll make sure no one ever harms her. It's the least I can do to repay your love.