Chapter 181: Jiang Xue’s Friend

In San Francisco, inside a Chinatown coffee shop named "Facial Mask"—which roughly translated to "opera mask" in Chinese—Jiang Xue, the daughter of the chairman of the Sanjiang Group, was currently sipping her coffee.

Sitting across from her was a handsome Chinese-American man in his thirties, dressed in a suit and tie.

"So, the reason her phone can’t be reached is that your uncle confiscated it? And she’ll be engaged to Li Ziheng in three days?" Jiang Xue looked at the man in astonishment.

"Yes, just three days left," the man said with a sigh.

"Then... can I visit your family’s old estate to see Ziqiu? I’m her classmate, you know, and I know Li Ziheng too."

"I’m afraid not." The man shook his head. "The old estate is turning away all visitors. That is Great-Grandfather’s rule."

"Your family has so many rules," Jiang Xue muttered under her breath, then grumbled, "This is going to be troublesome."

"You also know that security guard my little cousin likes, don’t you?"

The man’s last name was also Ye. His name was Ye Chuan, an older cousin of Ye Ziqiu.

"Yeah, I know him. What about it?" Jiang Xue asked playfully.

Ye Chuan smiled. "Actually, I don’t mind the romantic trope of a poor boy falling in love with a rich girl. It’s just that this should remain a fantasy about love. It can’t be brought into reality, and it definitely can’t happen to anyone in the Ye family."

Jiang Xue thought for a moment before replying, "I believe that as long as two people truly love each other, their relationship should be blessed."

"What about you? Where’s your other half?" Ye Chuan chuckled. "Don’t forget, I’ve always carried a torch for you!"

"You?" Jiang Xue scoffed. "You’re not my type. You’re too refined. I prefer bad boys."

"So have you found your rogue hero yet?" Ye Chuan asked curiously.

"None of your business!"

With that, Jiang Xue grabbed her bag and walked out of the coffee shop.

Outside, a white Rolls-Royce was waiting for her. It came equipped not only with a driver but also a Caucasian butler and even a bodyguard! This was Jiang Xue’s standard entourage abroad. She was the sole heir to the Sanjiang Group!

Domestically, Dingsheng might be a hundred-billion-yuan conglomerate, Zhiyuan Group was worth tens of billions, Longfu Industrial reached the hundred-billion scale, and the Ye Family was undergoing a massive revival. But in reality, none of these companies were as massive as the Sanjiang Group.

The Sanjiang Group was a colossal leviathan that spanned the entire length and breadth of the continent, with investments both at home and abroad. Whenever the Ministry of Commerce made foreign visits, the Sanjiang Group’s presence could always be found among the accompanying private enterprises. Some even said that the Sanjiang Group was second only to PetroChina, Sinopec, China Tobacco, and the major state-owned banks. Excluding those state monopolies, the Sanjiang Group was the undisputed number one private enterprise.

Naturally, the outside world had no way of knowing whether the Sanjiang Group had any hidden shareholders pulling the strings behind the scenes. However, rumors circulated that there were indeed a few silent partners, though the media never reported on them. Regardless, as a wealthy heiress, Jiang Xue was undoubtedly a true elite socialite.

Sitting in the car, Jiang Xue called Lin Jian once again, but his phone was still out of the service area. This was the sixth time she had tried.

"You bastard, are you coming or not?" she texted angrily on WeChat.

During their previous phone call, Lin Jian had claimed he was coming to San Francisco, and she had arrived a step ahead of him. As for why she had come... They were friends, after all, and she got along quite well with him.

However, despite what she told herself, deep down... she actually harbored a very special feeling toward Lin Jian. It couldn’t be called a crush, much less love, but during the times she spent with him, her heart would flutter just a tiny bit. Even when she occasionally thought of him, she felt that slight flutter. Of course, it was just a tiny bit. It was nothing close to an obsession or a love she’d die for.

Growing up, she had never truly understood what love was. No boy had ever managed to catch her eye. Only Lin Jian had ever made her heart skip a beat. And it was precisely because of this tiny flutter that she considered Lin Jian her friend. When a friend was in trouble, she naturally had to help out.

"Miss, the people from Blackwater have arrived. They are asking what time we would like to meet!" the Caucasian butler said in a thick London accent.

"Let’s meet them now. Head straight there."

"Right away."

After the butler relayed the order, the driver immediately set off toward the agreed location.

Half an hour later.

Jiang Xue met with two security consultants from Blackwater. Yes, this was the internationally renowned Blackwater Security Consulting, a company with operations all over the world. The reason Jiang Xue was meeting with them was to hire a massive security detail. This security team would also be providing full-time protection for Lin Jian.

As his friend, she naturally had to look out for his safety. With the protection of a Blackwater security team, the Ye family wouldn’t necessarily succeed if they tried to make a move against Lin Jian in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, as Jiang Xue was negotiating the employment fees with Blackwater, Lin Jian and Sha Shun stepped off their plane! Waiting to pick them up was not only a Chinese guide arranged by Chen Taohua, but also Chen Dachun.