Ch 41 (Part 1): Rebirth of the Tool Man in a Pampered Protagonist Novel

“Ah, my God, who on earth is foolish enough to have a secret crush on you, and for quite some time?”

Although Rick found it somewhat embarrassing to see Xie Zheng boasting in a serious manner, he was still very curious and could empathize with Xie Zheng’s current behavior, which seemed out of character.

There’s no denying that in the eyes of outsiders, Xie Zheng may have an intimidating image, but deep down, he’s just an ordinary person.

All that coldness and power play are merely necessities for survival, especially when living in a fiercely competitive family like the Xie family. If Xie Zheng were to show any gentleness or vulnerability, he wouldn’t have survived until today.

Only those who truly interact with Xie Zheng know that he’s not as difficult to get along with as he appears to be. He may be a bit particular about his habits and personality traits, but that’s about it.

Especially when it comes to relationships, Xie Zheng has high expectations and holds traditional values.

To put it in an old saying, in Xie Zheng’s eyes, if a relationship isn’t headed towards marriage and a lifetime commitment, it’s not worth pursuing!

Well, at least that’s how Xie Zheng appeared to Rick in the past, like some sort of mysterious creature from the East, a reserved Eastern person.

But it wasn’t until Rick got to know Tang Xun that he suddenly realized that Xie Zheng had incredible foresight! Tang Tang still ignored him to this day because of Rick’s extensive history as a foreign playboy…

However, Rick could swear that he was just playing around and that he had always been clean and decent. After all, he was afraid of getting sick.

But coming from a Western person who’s known for being open-minded, who would believe him? Xie Zheng and Tang Xun, in particular, had little trust in him as this legendary playboy.

Compared to him, Xie Zheng seemed unusually clean.

Of course, this was all thanks to the ruthless Lady Zhou from the Xie family, who had created a notorious reputation for Xie Zheng as an unlucky star. These years, Xie Zheng couldn’t find a partner even if he wanted to.

People either feared his terrifying ability to suppress others or were interested in his status and wealth, loving him for his money.

For someone like Xie Zheng, who had high expectations in love, this was extremely distasteful.

Rick felt that he could understand this very well. When someone genuinely admires and secretly loves Xie Zheng, it’s natural for him to feel excited. After all, they’re just ordinary people. Who wouldn’t be happy to be admired?

Behind the facade of a powerful figure, General Xie, Xie Zheng was actually a person who lacked love.

So Rick was also curious about who on earth couldn’t see through it and ended up falling for Xie Zheng, who was not exactly a charming and romantic type.

“Come on, tell me, who is it? Oh my God, this is simply unbelievable…”

Rick’s expression of shock was quite exaggerated.

Xie Zheng was satisfied with his reaction, feeling pleased, but he maintained a serious expression.

“Rick, let me tell you, I’m not bragging to you. I want you to keep a secret. Your reaction was too big, showing your excitement so openly. No wonder your family kicked you out.”

Rick: …Bro, you were the one showing off, and now you say I’m being a bit inappropriate.

Xie Zheng scolded him to make himself feel better, and then he satisfied his friend’s curiosity. He spoke in a low and solemn voice, “It’s Fang Ziyang, Tang Xun’s younger brother.”

Rick: …

Rick felt like he must be hallucinating or that Xie Zheng had gone crazy.

Knowing that Rick wouldn’t believe him, Xie Zheng took out his phone and found a hand-drawn picture of the ring that Fang Ziyang had given him for investigation purposes.

“He gave this to me earlier in the car and asked me to help him find the owner of this ring, someone he has secretly loved for a long time…”

“Although he has no idea what I look like, he remembered the silhouette of the person he once encountered and the ring I wore. Now, he wants to find me.”

Xie Zheng’s tone was normal up until the last sentence, but then it sounded a bit off.

Rick felt that the key point was in that last sentence. It seemed like his reserved old friend was being a bit floaty.

But…

“Is Fang Ziyang the kind of person who can secretly love someone’s image for years?”

It wasn’t that Rick didn’t want to believe it, but based on Fang Ziyang’s behavior, he wasn’t exactly the shy and innocent type!

Leaving aside their observations of Fang Ziyang’s personality from a distance in the past, just in the last two months, Rick could confidently say that Fang Ziyang was among the most calculating and ruthless people he had ever encountered.

Even though Tang Xun became angry and harbored resentment after learning the truth, Fang Ziyang went beyond simply becoming villainous. He not only accepted the reality of being deceived and used but also launched a counterattack with absolute and fierce determination.

How could someone with such chillingly rational and logical thinking easily develop a secret infatuation for someone they didn’t even know the appearance and personality of?

Anyway, Rick was very skeptical.

In fact, Xie Zheng had also thought about this question, but after careful consideration, Fang Ziyang had no reason to lie. Moreover, Xie Zheng could tell that although Fang Ziyang had a dark side, he wasn’t the type to completely disregard his conscience.

In a certain sense, Fang Ziyang was actually quite innocent.

After getting to know him up close, Xie Zheng found that he had a good impression of Fang Ziyang. However, he sensed a heavy resentment in the young man.

Xie Zheng nodded, “You have a valid point for your suspicion. However, Fang Ziyang has no reason to lie. He’s a smart kid and he knows the consequences of targeting me. Besides, if he really has something to discuss, he could just tell me directly. Out of respect for Tang Xun, as long as it doesn’t cross any boundaries, I wouldn’t refuse.”

“Considering his relationship with his brother, there’s no need for him to go through all this trouble to scheme. Do you think Fang Ziyang is that foolish?”

“Well…” Although Rick felt that something was off, Xie Zheng’s analysis made sense.

Xie Zheng was only interested in money and connections, and with Tang Xun’s relationship, it wouldn’t be a problem for Fang Ziyang to seek his help. There was no need for elaborate schemes.

Xie Zheng didn’t care about being noticed by others; what he cared about was how to handle this sudden “secret crush.”

“Rick, don’t tell Tang Xun about this matter for now, and if Fang Ziyang asks you about the ring, keep it a secret as well. Regardless of how smart Fang Ziyang is, he’s still a young kid who is prone to impulsive actions and regrets.”

“He is Tang Xun’s younger brother, and I don’t want to hurt him.”

When it came to matters of the heart, Xie Zheng was always cautious, both for himself and others. He didn’t want his family to end up in chaos like his father did because of mishandled relationships.

Rick nodded, finding the decision reasonable. Tang Xun cared deeply for his younger brother.

However, Xie Zheng still felt something was off.

After thinking for a moment, he said, “Rick, can you help me open a safe deposit box at a Swiss bank another day?”

“Open a safe deposit box at a Swiss bank? What do you want to store?”

The topic changed too quickly, and Rick couldn’t keep up with the pace.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Xie Zheng replied seriously, “I want to hide the ring. We’ll be in contact frequently in the future, and what if it’s accidentally discovered? If Fang Ziyang finds out that the person he secretly loves is me, what if…”

Xie Zheng made a gesture that Rick understood.

After all, Xie Zheng felt that he understood Fang Ziyang’s passionate personality, but he hadn’t figured out whether he wanted to pursue a relationship with him. With such an age gap and hearing that he liked to pick fights, Xie Zheng wouldn’t know how to coax him.

Rick: …

Rick gave him a thumbs-up. “Dear Xie, you’re really smart.”

…

Xie Zheng and Rick didn’t spend too much time in the hallway and quickly moved to the living room.

Before the court verdict, Tang Xun and Fang Ziyang didn’t want to reveal their true identities as brothers. This time, they not only wanted to bring down Zheng Yaxue, the hypocritical bitch, but also take a bite out of Fang Yandong.

Lying low was the sneakiest attack.

Having a meal at home actually made Fang Ziyang very happy. Although he ate at restaurants often, he had never experienced eating with his family before. He didn’t even want to mention those masked family members from the Fang family.

The dishes today were prepared by Tang Xun and Rick together, with both Chinese and Western cuisines, and they tasted delicious.

Fang Ziyang had a big appetite and ate happily, even scooping two bowls of rice.

As his brother enjoyed the food he made, Tang Xun was also happy. He kept picking food for his younger brother, and Rick couldn’t help but envy the treatment.

After they finished eating and gathered on the couch to discuss important matters, Rick finally seized the opportunity and quickly took the seat next to Tang Xun, feeling satisfied with a content expression.

Tang Xun glanced at him, knowing it was futile to try and shoo him away.

Then he turned to his younger brother and asked, “Ziyang, I’ve already followed your instructions and filed a lawsuit against Zheng Yating. The media and online public opinion are also being prepared. Now, tell me, what’s your plan for the next step?”

In Tang Xun’s original plan, he wanted to sue Fang Yandong as well, and then rescue his younger brother without having any connection to the Fang family.

However, Fang Ziyang had different ideas, and he expressed his firm attitude. Tang Xun had no choice but to play along with his younger brother’s game.

Xie Zheng and Rick nodded. They were also curious about Fang Ziyang’s next move.

Having prepared everything, Fang Ziyang no longer hid anything and briefly explained his future plans. Then he handed a USB flash drive to Tang Xun.

“Brother, there’s some information in here. Take it back and study it. But remember, these materials are special, so don’t show them to anyone easily. If you have any questions, come to me first, and we can study them together…”

Naturally, the flash drive contained the information from the “Golden Finger.”

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