Charlie Lei wasn't especially impressed by Isabella Li's reputation alone. But when it came to assessing someone, it wasn't just about the person; it was about their background. Isabella Li, a woman unafraid to openly defy even her grandfather—who was revered by the entire Li family—and someone whose own mother had nearly begged her to stay in China, was on a whole different level.
So, just what kind of background did someone need, what kind of person could keep someone like Isabella in check? To Charlie, it became clear that Ethan Wu wasn't just someone with an intimidating background but also had remarkable personal abilities and a charisma that set him apart. He had to have all these qualities; otherwise, there'd be no way he could manage someone as strong-willed as Isabella Li.
"What's up, Mr. Lei? Is there something wrong with how I speak to my own girlfriend?" Ethan smiled, as though genuinely puzzled.
Charlie was momentarily at a loss for words. Could he really ask outright about Ethan's background? It was evident Ethan had no intention of revealing that.
"Oh, you mean what I just said to her?" Ethan suddenly seemed to catch on, smiling casually. "It's no big deal. Couples, you know? We're just playing around, nothing serious."
Charlie thought to himself: Isabella Li, playing around? He couldn't help but wonder just how close the two of them were.
He chuckled, lifting his cup, "Alright, my friend, cheers to that!"
"Please," Ethan raised his cup as well.
After another sip of tea, Charlie put down his cup, his tone relaxed. "So, what was the bet about? Or is that not something you can share?"
Normally, he wasn't one to pry. But Ethan's attitude towards Isabella had genuinely shocked him, so his curiosity got the better of him.
"A bet… well, it's no secret," Ethan replied nonchalantly. "It's about her company, which has been under constant attack. I offered to help her handle it, but she refused. You may have heard about her personality—very headstrong. Anyway, things escalated, and we ended up arguing. But I get it… she's just trying to protect me."
Ethan paused for a moment before asking, "Mr. Lei, you know Dylan Ding, don't you?"
"Of course. That punk from the Ding family," Charlie nodded, entirely unsurprised. Once he knew Isabella was involved, he could easily guess who was behind her troubles.
Charlie didn't know the private details of the bet between Isabella and Dylan, but he was well aware that Dylan had been causing her problems, blocking her business endeavors and warning others not to work with her. He'd even gone so far as to publicly claim that Isabella was his woman, threatening any man who got too close to her.
It was obvious what Dylan wanted: he intended to force Isabella into marriage.
"That car accident with the spokesperson—Dylan's doing, right?" Charlie said.
"Exactly. That was him," Ethan nodded, before continuing, "Dylan's reputation precedes him. He's ruthless, obsessive, and will stop at nothing to get his way. He's incredibly petty and vicious."
"Oh, I know all about him," Charlie agreed. "Remember the Wei family's youngest son, who had his leg broken? That was Dylan's doing, about seven or eight years ago. The Ding family nearly went to war with the Weis to cover it up."
"And that's why Isabella doesn't want me involved with her business," Ethan explained, spreading his hands. "We've been together for a while now, but she's been afraid that Dylan will find out about me. She's scared he'll go berserk and come after me recklessly, regardless of who I am… and I know it's for my own good."
"But!" Ethan's voice turned firm as he sat up straighter.
"Tell me, Mr. Lei, as a man, can I just sit back and hide while another man covets my woman? If I were to do nothing, would I even be worthy of calling myself a man? If I were to just let it slide, I might as well dig myself a hole and bury myself!"
Ethan rarely used strong language, but he knew when it was called for.
Bang! Charlie slammed his hand on the table, raising his cup enthusiastically, "You're damn right, brother! Cheers to that! A real man doesn't back down—forget Dylan Ding!"
Ethan raised his cup, clinking it against Charlie's. Charlie downed his tea in one gulp, as if it were strong liquor.
Ethan followed suit, finishing his cup.
"Let me fill that up for you, brother. So, what happened next?" Charlie was captivated by Ethan's story, fully engrossed in the tale.
"So, we argued," Ethan said, his tone steady. "Isabella was furious—almost in tears. She didn't want me to intervene at all, but there was no way I could just sit back. In the end, she agreed to let me handle things but warned me not to blame her if Dylan went all out against me."
"I told her if Dylan Ding could take me down, then I don't deserve to call myself a man!"
Ethan mimicked the conversation's intensity, then continued with a calm tone. "Then she started having second thoughts, worrying I'd get hurt."
"In the end, we made a bet. It's more of an experiment, really. She handed me complete control over her upcoming product launch, which is just under a month away."
"She knows Dylan will stop at nothing to sabotage the event. So, my challenge is to handle the disruptions and make sure the launch goes smoothly."
"If I succeed, I win the bet. But if something goes wrong and I fail to protect the event, then she wins, and I've promised her that I'll listen to her in everything from now on. She says I'll have to stand back and 'mind my own business.'"
"That's it—that's the bet."
"So, I've been focusing on this. Just yesterday, I helped Isabella catch a traitor in her company—a mole that Dylan bribed years ago to keep an eye on her."
"Got it," Charlie said, finally understanding. He set down his teacup, commenting, "No wonder you were blowing cash in that game earlier. You needed a release, huh?"
"Exactly," Ethan confirmed. "The money isn't what worries me, though. What I'm really concerned about is Isabella herself. Losing the bet doesn't bother me much; she respects me enough not to force me into anything."
"But if the launch fails, it'll be devastating for her. She's been through so much, even before we met. She can't handle another setback."
"Good man!" Charlie gave him a thumbs-up. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he added, "Hey, wait a minute! I can help with this. You need to find the spokesperson yourself, right?"
"Yes," Ethan replied with a faint but confident smile.
Charlie paused, his gaze sharpening. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Listen, brother! I promised I'd help you find a spokesperson, and I'm a man of my word. Not only will I help—I'll get you the very best! Hang on, I'll call her right now!"
He picked up his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the number.
The call didn't connect immediately. While waiting, Charlie turned his phone screen toward Ethan, grinning and raising an eyebrow, "This one's my girl!"
The name displayed on the screen read: Mandy Baby.
He was calling Mandy Tao herself.
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