"Are you sure it was Fan Qiu's assistant who called?"
Liu Yilin was a little dumbfounded. She had just been about to ask Annie to help her arrange a meeting with Fan Qiu, but then the call came. Did Fan Qiu have the ability to see the future?
"That's right, I've confirmed it multiple times. She is indeed Fan Qiu's personal assistant. Here are the time and place."
Annie confirmed again before speaking to Liu Yilin.
"Okay, I understand. Reply to her assistant and tell her I'll be there on time tonight."
Liu Yilin said to Annie.
"Yes, boss."
Annie went out to reply to Fan Qiu's assistant.
"You heard that, right? You're coming with me tonight. Remember to dress well, don't embarrass me."
Liu Yilin said to Ning Beichen.
"Okay, boss."
Ning Beichen hadn't expected such a coincidence. He was just about to look for Fan Qiu, and Fan Qiu had given him this opportunity.
However, after calming down, Ning Beichen immediately felt something strange.
Why did Fan Qiu suddenly want to invite Liu Yilin?
According to Liu Yilin, they had no previous interactions, not even a greeting. They weren't even acquaintances.
Ning Beichen thought for a long time but couldn't come up with any reason, so he stopped thinking about it. After all, he would see her tonight.
When evening came, Liu Yilin and Ning Beichen arrived at the banquet venue. It wasn't a large hotel, but a vast mountain villa covering thousands of acres.
This was also where Fan Qiu lived. As soon as they arrived at the entrance, servants came out to welcome them inside.
"Please come in. Miss Fan Qiu is already waiting for you inside."
After getting out of the car, the servant respectfully said to them.
"Didn't you say there was a banquet tonight? Why don't I see any other guests?"
Ning Beichen asked the servant.
As they drove all the way here, Ning Beichen noticed that it was only him and Liu Yilin, with no other guests in sight.
"Miss Fan Qiu is specifically hosting only the two of you tonight."
The servant told them.
Although Ning Beichen found it strange, since they were already here, he wanted to see what Fan Qiu was up to.
"Welcome, both of you."
Soon, they saw Fan Qiu. She was wearing a qipao with a blue and white porcelain pattern, her hair styled in an exquisite bun, and she wore embroidered shoes. While exuding elegance and nobility, she also appeared very understated, giving off a comfortable aura. She didn't exude any sense of pressure despite being Fan Qiu.
Liu Yilin and Ning Beichen greeted her. Since they didn't know each other well, there was still a slight sense of distance.
Fan Qiu was not an ordinary woman, but Liu Yilin was not simple either, let alone Ning Beichen.
In terms of wealth, Liu Yilin might not have as much as Fan Qiu, but she was still the president of a group.
In terms of beauty, Liu Yilin was even more outstanding.
Although Fan Qiu was also very beautiful, more so than most women, and could even rival some celebrities, her age and widowhood were undeniable factors. In any comparison, Liu Yilin had the upper hand.
However, they both shared one thing in common: they were both women who were proud to the bone.
If Ning Beichen hadn't needed to meet Fan Qiu, Liu Yilin might not have bothered to come if Fan Qiu had invited her to the banquet.
This banquet was only for the two of them. To be precise, it was only for Liu Yilin, and Ning Beichen was merely her bodyguard, an accompaniment.
However, Liu Yilin noticed that Fan Qiu's attention was entirely focused on Ning Beichen, largely ignoring her, the invited guest, which made her feel quite resentful.
"Hmph! Old woman, what's with the attitude?"
Liu Yilin grumbled inwardly, exuding a sense of spilled vinegar. If it weren't inappropriate, she would have wanted to drag Ning Beichen away without looking back.
"Mr. Ning, how long have you been in the bodyguard profession?"
Fan Qiu was busy trying to gather information about Ning Beichen and had no time to pay attention to Liu Yilin. Although Liu Yilin was as famous as her, her target was Ning Beichen.
"It's been many years. I was overseas before and only recently returned to the country."
Ning Beichen replied.
He was also trying to find an excuse to pry into her Nine Palaces Strategy, and he was worried about not having an opportunity to talk to her, when she unexpectedly showed him so much enthusiasm.
"Oh, are you planning to develop your career back in the country?"
Fan Qiu asked.
"I have that intention, but I haven't decided yet. After all, ancient Eastern countries are relatively stable, and the demand for bodyguards is not very high, so it's not very profitable."
Ning Beichen replied casually.
"I see. Mr. Ning, if you don't have a good place to go, why not come to me? I happen to need a bodyguard, and I can offer you three times your current salary."
Fan Qiu began poaching Ning Beichen in front of Liu Yilin, causing Liu Yilin's face to darken like charcoal.
Although she had previously wished Ning Beichen would leave as soon as possible, after spending so much time with him, she had long grown accustomed to having him around.
Now, hearing Fan Qiu trying to poach Ning Beichen right in front of her, how could she stand it?
"I'm sorry, Ning Beichen has signed a three-year contract with me, and he won't be going anywhere."
Liu Yilin emphasized the words "three-year contract," telling Fan Qiu that Ning Beichen was hers and she shouldn't try to poach him.
Ning Beichen, of course, had no interest in Fan Qiu's offer. He shrugged and made a helpless gesture.
As for Liu Yilin's claim of a three-year contract, it was pure nonsense. He had never signed any contract with Liu Yilin.
Up to this point, he hadn't even asked Liu Yilin for his salary, let alone benefits like social insurance and housing funds. He left his salary to Liu Yilin's discretion, whatever she felt like giving him.
Moreover, Ning Beichen thought somewhat sadly that he hadn't received any salary yet. This was because after breaking the wall twice in a previous fight, Liu Yixin, that brat, had said that his salary would be used to compensate for the damage.
He wondered if Liu Yilin and her sister had conspired, and they had never paid him.
However, Ning Beichen wasn't short of this little bit of money. He lived and ate at Liu Yilin's place, and he didn't have many expenses.
Actually, Ning Beichen didn't know that Liu Yilin wasn't withholding his salary but had already given him a portion of the group's shares.
In other words, he was now a shareholder of Tianmei Technology Group.
Because Ning Beichen had helped her overcome difficulties last time, Liu Yilin had made this decision. However, she hadn't had the chance to tell him yet.
"Contracts only bind ordinary people. For wealthy individuals, they are just a game. If Mr. Ning is interested, I can help you with the breach of contract fees."
Fan Qiu said generously to Ning Beichen.