Chapitre 141: Chapter 141 You're Suited to Be a Screenwriter
"Don't think I can't see it. You might be good at management, but you have no clue about business." Zhao Yanan paused and then added, "All you do is waste money."
Chu Yuxuan smiled lightly. "I admit I don't know business or much about finance and trade, but for my deals, elementary school math is more than enough... Yanan, do you know what makes the fastest money in America?"
Zhao Yanan thought for a moment. In America, making fast money probably meant investing or trading stocks, but if elementary school math was enough, and it had to be quick... robbing a bank, maybe?
Chu Yuxuan exaggerated his tone further, as if he was worried Zhao Yanan wouldn't believe him, though in reality, he feared she would believe him. "America was built on war profits, so I followed in their footsteps. I started selling arms."
"Weapons? You?" Zhao Yanan tilted her head, looking at Chu Yuxuan's profile. She wasn't shocked but clearly didn't believe him.
To her, it was as if Chu Yuxuan had just said, "I invented a lithography machine last night."
Chu Yuxuan continued, "The world outside isn't as pretty as it seems. There's war every day. The wear and tear of equipment is a huge business opportunity. The Americans take the biggest cut, but once they're done, small-time businessmen like me can pick up the scraps. Just by flipping their unwanted second-hand goods, I can get filthy rich."
Zhao Yanan didn't respond, listening as he continued spinning his tale.
"But then, I drew too much attention and got taken down. I couldn't continue the business, so I hid in Mexico. The worst part? HSBC sold me out. Otherwise, I'd have way more than just 1.5 billion."
Zhao Yanan pursed her lips. "I've seen that movie before—it's called Lord of War, right? Nice story. I thought you were going to claim you were some infamous bank robber making quick money."
"Oh, I've robbed," Chu Yuxuan said, looking smug, "but not banks. I've hit casinos, gangs, even Mexican cartels. It's thrilling."
Zhao Yanan thought this man was getting more and more ridiculous, rolling her eyes. "You think you're Batman? A lone hero dispensing justice?"
"No, not a hero. We had plenty of people, no heroism involved," Chu Yuxuan replied earnestly. "At first, I met a bunch of friends in Somalia, but hanging with those pirates meant starving for days. It wasn't a good future. So, we figured out something that could at least keep us fed. Every operation was dangerous, though, and losses were inevitable. In the end..."
At this point, a hint of sorrow flashed in Chu Yuxuan's eyes, and his expression darkened. The words "I truly despise drug dealers and betrayal" were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.
Seeing his silence, Zhao Yanan muttered, "Can't keep making it up?"
"Yeah, I've kind of run out of steam," Chu Yuxuan laughed.
"I think you've got potential as a screenwriter. You should consider it."
"Well, Zhao, you'd better support me in the future. And if there's any... 'unspoken rules,' feel free to test me, I'll... Ow, ow, ow!"
Zhao Yanan pinched his arm hard. "Be serious!... Ahem."
Hearing her cough, Chu Yuxuan instinctively raised his hand and touched her face. It was a bit warm.
They had already caught a chill on the mountaintop, and the shock had only made it worse. The ice queen was now running a fever.
"Rest on my back and get some sleep," Chu Yuxuan quickened his pace, glancing at his phone—still no signal. Although the road was downhill, carrying someone for so long, especially with his own injuries, was exhausting.
Zhao Yanan rested her face on his right shoulder, feeling a bit dizzy earlier. Now, her eyelids grew heavier. The surroundings were eerie, but being carried by Chu Yuxuan, she inexplicably felt safe.
"Yuxuan, do you really like me?"
"Of course."
"Why?"
Chu Yuxuan's breathing grew heavier, and he stopped to adjust her on his back. The pain made him grit his teeth.
"Liking someone doesn't need a reason."
Zhao Yanan mumbled, "What does it feel like to like someone?"
Chu Yuxuan resumed walking, silent for a moment, then smiled. "You want to see them, to be with them, to own them. You want to feel the breeze on their balcony, watch the moon through their window, and wake up in their bed."
"You're being a rascal again."
"Loving while doing only makes the love stronger."
"Shameless... Chu Yuxuan, you're getting more and more improper."
"And you, Zhao Yanan, are becoming more and more tolerant of me."
"I don't want to talk to you."
After about ten more minutes, Zhao Yanan drifted off to sleep. Chu Yuxuan's shirt was soaked in sweat, beads of it rolling down his face and dripping from his chin onto Zhao Yanan's arm.
The mountain forest at midnight was chilly, with a cold wind blowing through.
"Yuxuan, I'm so cold," Zhao Yanan mumbled in her half-asleep state, her speech slurred.
Chu Yuxuan looked ahead; everything was pitch black, his view blocked by the trees. But the path had leveled out, and he guessed they were nearing the foot of the mountain.
"Hang in there, we're almost home."
Zhao Yanan didn't respond, tightening her arms around his neck, her face pressed against his shoulder. She was barely conscious. Just then, her phone rang.
There was signal!
Chu Yuxuan stopped, quickly pulling out the phone to see a call from Zhou Xiaoruo. But the screen was so cracked, he couldn't answer.
He tried for a long time, but before he could pick up, Zhou hung up. Desperate, Chu Yuxuan attempted to dial an emergency number, but the screen wouldn't cooperate—the "1" key wouldn't register.
"D*mn it!" Chu Yuxuan cursed angrily.
From behind him, a feverish Zhao Yanan groggily mumbled, "Yuxuan, don't curse."
Chu Yuxuan: ...
There was no choice but to keep moving.
As time passed, Chu Yuxuan's stamina wore down. His steps slowed involuntarily, but he couldn't stop. On the one hand, Zhao Yanan was burning with fever. On the other, he genuinely feared being targeted by wolves.
Fortunately, after another 20 minutes, they finally emerged from the forest. What lay ahead was a small shantytown. He had been here before while driving for DiDi. It was a remote place, far from the city, and getting a ride here was nearly impossible.
It was almost 1 a.m., and the entire shantytown was silent. Chu Yuxuan randomly chose a house and knocked. After waiting a while with no response, he tried another, with the same result. Finally, on the fourth house, someone answered.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone