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Chapter 318: Excellence
The night in Star City was resplendent as though an illusion. The hanging specks of starlight in the night sky were as though the extension of a painting scroll. Shooting stars occasionally descended as if adding radiance to this painting.
At the main entrance of South Gate Town’s security post.
The newly appointed security captain—Hu Sicheng was dressed in a brand new security uniform and was chatting with the vice-captain of the security team.
“Old Yang, I used to be a security team captain in the headquarters. Every day we were hella busy there; we were oftentimes on duty at night and even often did a variety of things in the daytime, as well as spent a lot of time drilling. Working here is really relaxed and idle, kinda like a fish out of water all of a sudden,” With a smile, Hu Sicheng spoke with satisfaction for his current state.
The vice-captain—Yang Bing replied with a smile, “Almost all the heads of households living here are rich and powerful people. They are of distinguished status as well as good natured; they rarely give us trouble. Also, our security team has a large number of men with strict surveillance and monitoring, so we usually have no problems for a year or so.”
Hu Sicheng turned to look to the villa complex front gate and sighed with a bit of envy, “True that! Those who can live here are surely the ones who are not short on money. I don’t know whether I’ll ever be able to live in such a luxurious villa.”
Yang Bing smiled and didn’t reply. But inwardly, he secretly held Hu Sicheng in contempt. Though the man was a captain of the Long Group’s security team who had been assigned on duty here, his maximum wage would be at most at the level of those gold collars. Wanting to buy a villa here with such a level of salary -- even the worst villa -- even if he spent 100 or 200 years, was simply a dream!
“Screech…”
A taxi stopped in front of the villa complex entrance gate.
Carrying a travel bag, Tang Xiu got off from the taxi and received the change from the driver. Afterward, he strode toward the security post at the entrance gate. He hadn’t come back here for a month or two, and the feeling of coming back home made him happy.
"Stop! Who are you looking for?"
Hu Sicheng used to work in the headquarters, so he still used a stiff tone and blunt attitude. It had become his habit to carefully scrutinize everyone.
With a knitted brows, Tang Xiu replied, “I live here.”
“You..."
Hu Sicheng wanted to speak but was quickly pulled by Yang Bing. With a smiling face, Yang Bing acted cordial as he smiled and said, “Ah, you’re back, Mr. Tang! It’s been a long time since I last saw you.”
Tang Xiu gave him a trace of a smile as he nodded and said, “There were things I needed to deal with outside the city. I just returned.”
Having said it, he shot a glance at Hu Sicheng and strode inside the villa complex.
Waiting until Tang Xiu’s back disappeared at the corner inside, Yang Bing then secretly wiped off the cold sweat on his face as he forced a smile and said, “Captain, you gotta change your attitude, really! This place is a luxury villa complex in Star City, not our Long Group’s Headquarters. The people living here are great figures we can’t afford to provoke.”
Frowning, Hu Sicheng replied, “What do you mean? That kiddo said he lives here? Have you seen him before?”
Albeit reluctantly, Yang Bing said, “Captain, it’s not only me who have seen him. The entire security team’s members of the villa complex have also seen him. Were he someone else, I wouldn’t have talked to him all smiling. He’s Tang Xiu, and he lives in the grandest mansion in this villa complex.”
“What did you say? That grandest Kingview villa is his?” asked Hu Sicheng incredulously.
Looking around and finding no one nearby, Yang Bing then nodded and whispered, “Yes, it’s his! Also, I’ve heard a trusted news. He didn’t buy that villa, it was our famous Young Master Long who gifted it to him! You don’t know it yet, but Tang Xiu and our Young Master Long have a very, very good relationship!”
Shocked and surprised, Hu Sicheng hastily asked, “Are you talking about Chief Long—Long Zhengyu?”
Yang Bing nodded, “Yes, it’s him. Chief Long—Long Zhengyu. And captain, you just came to assume office here, there are many things you don’t know yet. Tang Xiu has very powerful people in his personal connection circle. The powerful characters I know of that have come to South Gate Town to find him were no less than five.”
“Who are they?” asked Hu Sicheng curiously.
Yang Bing whispered, “Our Big Boss—Long Hanwen; the Endless Virtue Pharmaceutical’s Boss—Chen Zhizhong; the Magnificent Tang Corp’s General Manager—Kang Xia; also several people with bodyguards, whose statuses are evidently not lower than our Big Boss who also came here to find Tang Xiu.”
"Hiss…" Hu Sicheng suddenly heaved in a cold breath upon hearing it.
All of a sudden, he secretly worried about his own attitude just now, for fear that Tang Xiu would be a narrow-minded person and bear a grudge. Were he to talk about it casually with the big boss, or with Chief Long Zhengyu, his position as South Gate Town’s security team’s captain most likely would be lost.
“Troublesome!” said Hu Sicheng bitterly.
“Captain, you need to find your cousin! As far as I know, Manager Long and Tang Xiu have a good relationship,” said Yang Bing whispered.
For a moment, Hu Sicheng stared blankly, as he then asked in amazement, “Do you mean…”
“Yep!” Yang Bing gave a direct reply.
“I got it,” said Hu Sicheng with a nod.
Inside the Kingview Villa of South Gate Town, Mu Qingping was hugging Gu Yin as they read a book, while Gu Yin was wearing earphones and looked like a quiet kitty.
At this time, even though Mu Qingping sat casually, yet she exuded a special bearing and aura. Be it her movements or her expression, they faintly exuded a ‘noble aura’.
“Big Sis Mu!”
Seeing the mother and daughter in the hall, Tang Xiu immediately revealed a faint smile.
Mu Qingping looked distracted and surprised for a moment. When she saw Tang Xiu, a look of joy was immediately revealed on her face. She gently pushed her daughter, stood and bent slightly as she then said with a smile, “You’ve come back, and you look so tanned. Yet you seem to be healthier and more macho.”
“The sunlight has been rather full, getting tanned is kinda inevitable,” Tang Xiu said with a smile. “By the way, how was the training outside? Have the four instructors left already?”
“They have left,” Mu Qingping nodded. “They’re really great instructors and have taught me a lot of things in this period of time. Back then, I always thought managing the family’s chief daily necessities and other small things were what was required of the job, but little did I know that the world’s top steward would simply be a multifunctional server. Yeah, that’s the private title to the world’s top chamberlains.”
Tang Xiu couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He shook his head and said, “Big Sis Mu, I just came back from Nine Dragons Island and started its reconstruction. The area is rather large and there are a lot of issues to manage. Therefore, you need to plan and coordinate the whole situation rather than manage trivial matters. I’ll also find some reliable aides for you and then send them abroad for training for a period of time before I send them to you to manage them.”
“Understood!” Mu Qingping nodded with a smile.
At this time, Gu Yin had removed her earphone as a brilliant smile emerged on her small face. Opening her arms and hugging Tang Xiu, she grinned, “Master, you finally came back. Grandma has been talking about you everyday. And I’m sure she’d look for you if you had not come back.”
“I know,” Tang Xiu laughed and said, “Your grandmother has called me a lot.”
Immediately after, Tang Xiu looked to Mu Qingping and asked, “Has my mother come back yet?”
“She hasn’t,” Mu Qingping replied with a smile, “They are busy at work in the restaurant and rarely stay here. At most, they stay here for two days in a week.”
Tang Xiu was stunned for a moment as he then nodded and said, “I see. Yinyin, play with your Mom for a while. I’m gonna have a shower and change clothes first, then I’ll take you to our family’s restaurant to have a delicious meal.”
"Great!"
Gu Yin immediately replied in a pleasant surprise.
“Wait,” Mu Qingping quickly said, “I still have something to report to you.”
“What is it?” Asked Tang Xiu, puzzled.
“It’s the chief of Star City Medical Hospital,” Mu Qingping said, “He came here nearly every day and seemed to be in a hurry. He wanted me to tell you to contact him the moment you came back.”
Li Hongji?
Recalling what he had promised to him, Tang Xiu forced a smile inwardly. The day after tomorrow was September 1st, and he would leave for Shanghai by tomorrow evening at the latest. How would he still have time to visit the hospital?
After pondering for a moment, Tang Xiu took his mobile and dialed Li Hongji’s cell number.
"Tang Xiu?" Li Hongji’s pleasantly surprised voice came out of the phone.
“Yes, it’s Tang Xiu, President Li,” Tang Xiu said with a smile, “I came back late to the mainland due to circumstances. I know you want me to give medical service in the hospital, but I’ll be leaving for Shanghai the day after tomorrow for the registration to Shanghai University. So I’m afraid I don’t have much time. How about I first register to Shanghai University and then come back in October’s holiday to give medical service?”
"This…"
Li Hongji hesitated for a long time before he forced a wry smile and said, “Since it’s the case then I’ll drag it! Tang Xiu, you may not retract the appointment again. I’ll be waiting for you on October 1st at the Chinese Medical Hospital.”
“Deal,” said Tang Xiu with a smile.
After hanging up, he then went to the second floor to have a shower, changed his clothes and then brought Gu Yin to his family’s restaurant. He wanted to give a surprise to his mother; hence, he didn’t notify her.
"Ah, I’m so damn bored!"
At the restaurant’s entrance, Banshou stood in a black suit with a shiny hairdo, looking listless. Standing in front of him was similar bored Dingzi with a toothpick between his lips.
“If you’re that bored, shall I help you find some fun?”
While holding Gu Yin, Tang Xiu appeared in front of the duo.
Banshou and Dingzi stared blankly for a moment. As they turned around and saw Tang Xiu, their eyes instantly turned bright as they shouted simultaneously, “BOSS, YOU’RE BACK!”
“I just came back,” Tang Xiu laughed and said, “Where’s my mom?”
“Your parents are here. I’ll go call them now,” said Banshou quickly.
“We’ll go in ourselves,” Tang Xiu waved to him. “Ah, right. If you feel bored in the restaurant, I’ll give you a new job. I’ll also double your pay if you two do well.”
“What new job do you want us to do, Boss?” asked Banshou and Dingzi quickly as their eyes turned bright.
“I’ll see my mom first and then I’ll talk to you about it in detail later,” said Tang Xiu with a smile.