Chapter 566: Xiao Xiao Returns (2)
Chapter 566: Xiao Xiao Returns (2)
Xiao Xiao's loyalty was unquestionable, but having grown up in the countryside, she lacked knowledge in many areas and was unqualified as a bodyguard. This was why Jiaxin Lu had spent a fortune to send her for training.
Xiao Xiao took out a bank card and, with a beaming smile, said, "Sister Jiaxin, there's 500,000 green dollars on this card, which I earned from completing missions."
Jiaxin knew this was Xiao Xiao's hard-earned money from her missions, so she pushed it back, saying, "You earned this by risking your life. I can't take it. Keep it safe."
"I haven't had a chance to spend money while staying with you, Sister Jiaxin. If you won't accept it, I'll give it to Grandpa Money for safekeeping," Xiao Xiao said cheerfully.
Upon hearing this, Jiaxin immediately took the bank card and asked for the password. "I'll keep this money for now. I'll use it to buy you some assets later. When you're older, these assets will be your security," she said.
Grandpa Money had raised her, and it was only right that she supported him in return. However, it wasn't appropriate to leave her entire fortune in his care, considering he had another grandson and granddaughter. Moreover, since Grandpa Money was now living with them, what if they needed a large sum of money? Would he be able to help? Additionally, if the money was left in his hands, it would most likely be deposited in a bank, waiting to lose value over time.
Xiao Xiao trusted Jiaxin implicitly. "Sister Jiaxin, I'll listen to whatever you say."
As the training base was secluded, the two of them had only spoken on the phone three times in the past two years, and each call was mostly to assure the other of their safety. Now that Xiao Xiao was back, Jiaxin naturally wanted to catch up.
Xiao Xiao recounted her experiences over the past two years. Ever since she entered the training base, her days had started with rigorous training before dawn. The training programs were inhumane, and despite her martial arts foundation, she was pushed to her limits. Nonetheless, the results were remarkable. In just three months, her physical abilities had more than doubled, and her marksmanship had improved significantly. However, that wasn't enough, as her instructors believed she hadn't reached her full potential yet, so they continued to train her for another six months.
After a year of training, her instructors deemed her performance excellent and offered her the chance to return home. However, Xiao Xiao chose to stay.
Xiao Xiao always kept Wenfeng Gu's words in mind—that she lacked battle experience. If Sister Jiaxin encountered danger, Xiao Xiao wanted to be able to react immediately to protect her, which was why she had applied to participate in the base's missions.
The base agreed and assigned her missions of increasing difficulty. Not long ago, she had completed a mission that earned her a million dollars, and she expressed her desire to return. Unexpectedly, the administrator asked her to stay, promising to double her mission fees from then on.
"Damn them…" Xiao Xiao had cursed at the time, feeling exploited for all that time. However, she never considered staying, as her sole purpose for coming to the base was to learn the skills necessary to protect Sister Jiaxin.
As they chatted, Jiaxin switched to speaking in English halfway through, and Xiao Xiao responded fluently in pristine British English. She had also learned to use advanced weapons and various instruments, making the 1.5 million green dollars spent on her training an absolute bargain.
The training fee at the base was a steep 1 million green dollars per year, a price that most people would balk at. But Jiaxin was determined to cultivate a loyal guardian, so she paid without hesitation. Xiao Xiao trained at the base for a year, and after that, she didn't have to pay any tuition fees for the missions she undertook.
Before they knew it, they had been chatting for over two hours, and the butler came to remind them that it was time for dinner.
During the meal, Xiao Xiao asked curiously, "Sister Jiaxin, where's Wenfeng? I haven't seen him. Did he go home to visit his family?"
Jiaxin shook her head. "No. Last year, someone tried to kidnap me, and he was injured in a gunfight while protecting me. One of his legs is now disabled. I've assigned him to train newcomers at a location about two hours away from here. He misses you, too. You should go see him tomorrow."
This place wasn't suitable for training due to space limitations. Jiaxin had bought a piece of land in the suburbs and built two houses with the help of a construction company under the Wansheng umbrella. She left everything else to Wenfeng and Qing Li, never interfering in matters she didn't understand, instead trusting the experts.
Xiao Xiao's expression remained unchanged as she said, "It's good that he's alright."
She, too, had been injured several times, though none of her injuries were life-threatening. In Wenfeng's case, it was lucky that he had survived. A blessing in disguise, perhaps—though he had lost a leg, he was now in charge of logistics and no longer faced dangerous situations.
Only someone who had faced life and death would be able to speak so nonchalantly about such an injury. Most people would be afraid. "Have you been injured often?" Jiaxin asked.
Xiao Xiao didn't try to sugarcoat the truth. "I've been injured a few times, but they were just external wounds. Two of my teammates were unlucky and died. The first time I saw a comrade lying in a pool of blood, I was so shocked that I froze. Thankfully, we had already retreated to a safe place, or I might have been in danger, too."
"Wenfeng was right about my lack of preparedness back then. Without the tempering of blood and tears, I wouldn't have been able to react quickly enough, and that could have put you in danger," she said, her eyes glinting with a fierce light. "Sister Jiaxin, rest assured. With Wenfeng gone, I'm here. I can protect you now. Anyone who dares to harm you will die a horrible death."
Jiaxin nodded and urged Xiao Xiao to eat. "You must not have eaten well while you were away. I asked the chef to prepare your favorite dishes. Eat more tonight."
Xiao Xiao picked up a piece of braised pork and popped it into her mouth. After eating, her playful nature returned, and she said, "You're right. The hardest part about being there wasn't the training but the food. Their idea of gourmet food… I pity them. It's a shame I don't know how to cook, or I would have shown them how delicious Chinese cuisine can be."
"Too bad, indeed," she added, a hint of regret in her voice. "I wish I could have let them experience the true delights of Chinese cuisine."
The two women chatted and laughed as they ate.
After dinner, Jiaxin took Xiao Xiao for a stroll in the backyard garden. Xiao Xiao suddenly asked, "Boss, where's Mr. Nie? I haven't seen him. Is he on a business trip?"
Jiaxin teased, "Why would you think he's on a business trip and not that we've broken up?"
Xiao Xiao smiled. "Sister Jiaxin, with so many outstanding men around you, and considering your personality, it's unlikely that you'd break up with Mr. Nie and then find a new boyfriend so quickly. Also, there are several pairs of shoes in the living room that are his size. What a coincidence that your new boyfriend happens to wear the same size as Mr. Nie. And lastly, with your kindness, how could Mr. Nie bear to break up with you?"
Indeed, these two years of training had transformed her entirely.
"Go see Wenfeng tomorrow, and then go back to visit your grandfather. He's currently in Pengcheng, and he's brought your parents along too. He misses you very much. Go spend a few days with him when you have the chance," Jiaxin said.
Xiao Xiao also longed to see Grandpa Money again. The longest they had been apart before was half a year, but now it had been nearly two and a half years. As for her parents, she didn't miss them as much.
"Okay, I'll go keep him company for three days," she agreed.
Jiaxin didn't ask her to stay longer. Pengcheng wasn't far from their current location, and now that Xiao Xiao had returned, she could always come home during her vacations.
(End of Chapter)
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