The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 215: Chapter 215: A Lot of Pocket Money

Han Xiaorui hugged Xu Yingying. ”Miss Xu, you’re safe now, don’t worry. I’ll stay here with you. First thing tomorrow morning, you’ll get on a plane and go home.”

Seeing how formal Han Xiaorui was being, Xu Yingying quickly said, ”Don’t call me Miss Xu, it’s too distant. Call me Auntie. I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here and urge the police to track down the mastermind.”

Han Xiaorui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”You can just hire a lawyer to deal with the police here. It’s something money can solve; there’s no need for you to stay.”

”Besides, with such a big incident here, you nearly lost your life. The embassy will definitely inform Mr. Xu and Old Madam Xu.”

”If you don’t go back, you’ll worry those two old folks sick! And it’s not convenient to call back to the country right now.”

Hearing this, Xu Yingying’s expression changed slightly. She sighed, thinking of her elderly parents.

”Xiao Rui, you’re right. My parents will be so worried when they find out what happened to me. I’ll hire a lawyer to help with these matters and leave on a flight tomorrow morning.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”If you don’t have time to pack your luggage, I can have my colleagues help you.”

Xu Yingying asked, ”What about my two bodyguards?”

Han Xiaorui replied, ”They’re at another hospital. They’ve probably been discharged by now. The police are likely taking their statements. Should I have them go get your things?”

Xu Yingying thought for a moment. ”No, don’t. I suspect one of them was bought off.”

Han Xiaorui was taken aback. ”In that case, wait until you’re discharged tomorrow morning to go back and pack your things. Alright, get some sleep. I’ll stay here with you.”

Xu Yingying had been through a rollercoaster of emotions, and she had been forcing herself to stay awake to talk to Han Xiaorui.

She could now place her complete trust in Han Xiaorui. ”Thank you.”

After saying that, Xu Yingying couldn’t hold on any longer and fell asleep.

Han Xiaorui pulled over a stool and rested her head on her arms by Xu Yingying’s bedside, keeping her company.

Although Han Xiaorui was also exhausted, Xu Yingying needed her right now.

She could feel Xu Yingying’s kindness and naturally returned it with her own sincerity.

At seven the next morning, Xu Yingying woke up, changed into the clothes sent over by the hotel, and went straight back.

Also, on the recommendation of a business partner, Xu Yingying contacted a well-known local lawyer and entrusted them with handling the kidnapping case.

With her luggage in tow and accompanied by staff from the embassy, Xu Yingying boarded her flight and left.

Xu Yingying felt guilty that she couldn’t go shopping with Han Xiaorui.

Before leaving, she stuffed the remaining two million yen from her bag into Han Xiaorui’s hands.

Han Xiaorui tried to refuse. ”Miss Xu...”

”Call me Auntie,” Xu Yingying insisted. ”I’m going back right away, so I have no use for this money. You’re Xiao Feng’s girlfriend, and you’re also my lifesaver.”

”I was planning to take you shopping and buy you clothes anyway. I didn’t expect this to happen, so I can’t go with you. This is some spending money from me. Go shopping on your own and buy what you like.”

Seeing Xu Yingying’s insistence, Han Xiaorui felt she couldn’t refuse any longer and reluctantly accepted it.

”Thank you, Auntie.” Han Xiaorui said gratefully, accepting the gift from her elder.

About an hour later, she received a call from someone at the embassy, telling her that Xu Yingying had boarded the plane safely.

Everyone else had gone to their exchange program, leaving Han Xiaorui alone at the hotel.

Kuno Hiroo had also been busy running around yesterday, helping to deal with related matters.

And today, he was back!

”Ms. Han, since you’re a good friend of Ye’s, I’d like to invite you to lunch.”

Kuno Hiroo had helped yesterday, and now he was offering to treat her to a meal today. Han Xiaorui felt embarrassed to accept.

She was never one to take advantage of others.

Han Xiaorui gave a dazzling smile. With her bright eyes, white teeth, and tall, graceful figure, she looked like a natural model.

Seeing Han Xiaorui’s unique aura, Kuno Hiroo was reminded of a line he had memorized when he was learning Chinese: ”A fair and graceful maiden is a gentleman’s good match.”

”Mr. Kuno, how could I let you treat me? You were a huge help yesterday, and I haven’t even thanked you properly yet. I’ll be treating today. I insist.”

Han Xiaorui’s tone was sincere, her posture was ramrod straight, and she exuded the aura of a Hua Country woman who could ”hold up half the sky.”

To a Japanese person, this was very assertive.

Kuno Hiroo smiled. He looked at Han Xiaorui, who was only a little shorter than him, and thought how completely different she was from the short, petite girlfriends he usually dated.

He suddenly found women from Hua Country to be very charming.

”You’re the guest, and you’re Ye Feng’s friend. As you Hua Country people say, I must do my duty as the host.”

Han Xiaorui thought for a moment and nodded. ”If you insist, then I won’t stand on ceremony. In return, when I get back to my country, I’ll prepare a gift with Hua Country characteristics for you.”

”Oh, right. I forgot to tell you, I’m Ye Feng’s girlfriend.”

Hearing this, Kuno Hiroo felt a pang of disappointment.

Although he had suspected it, hearing it from her directly felt like some beautiful fantasy had been shattered.

”Ye is a lucky man.” Kuno Hiroo smiled, his expression open and frank. ”Let’s go. I’ll treat you to one of Japan’s most distinctive restaurants. The seafood and sashimi there are top-notch.”

When Han Xiaorui heard this, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”Could we maybe go somewhere else?”

”Why?” Kuno Hiroo asked. ’Coming to Japan and not eating seafood and sashimi is like not having been to Japan at all.’ ”Are you allergic to seafood?”

Han Xiaorui shook her head and smiled charmingly. ”I’m not allergic to seafood. I’m the captain of a fishing vessel. I eat seafood almost every day back home.”

”Even if the seafood in Japan is delicious, I don’t want to eat it. I’d rather have a bowl of udon noodles, something Japanese people eat all the time, than seafood.”

”A captain?” Kuno Hiroo was stunned. ”There are female captains in Hua Country?”

Han Xiaorui smiled proudly. ”Of course. We women of Hua Country can hold up half the sky. Anything a man can do, a woman can do too.”

Kuno Hiroo was filled with respect. He also noticed that as he talked with Han Xiaorui, her tone held none of the awe for Japan’s development that he was used to hearing.

This was different from many people from Hua Country who came to Japan.

This quality made her even more captivating.

”You’re really amazing,” Kuno Hiroo said with a laugh. ”In that case, I’ll take you for Kobe beef.”

”Thank you,” Han Xiaorui said gratefully as she got into Kuno Hiroo’s car. ”When you come to Hua Country, Ye Feng and I will treat you to a meal.”

Kuno Hiroo smiled. ”Great, I’ll take you up on that. Aren’t you curious why my Chinese is so good?”

”I am curious,” Han Xiaorui replied. ”My trip to Japan was rather rushed. Ye Feng just gave me your business card and didn’t explain much, just that I could find you if I ran into trouble. So, Mr. Kuno, what do you do? And why is your Chinese so good?”

Kuno Hiroo smiled. ”I used to be a student in Hua Country, specializing in learning Chinese. I was drowning at sea, and Ye Feng saved me.”

”That’s it?” Han Xiaorui was skeptical.

”Is that not enough? Don’t you in Hua Country have a saying about repaying the favor of saving a life with a gushing spring? We’ve been friends ever since,” Kuno Hiroo replied, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

”I see.” Han Xiaorui didn’t believe him inwardly, but she didn’t press the issue.

’At worst, I’ll just ask Ye Feng about it when I get back home.’

Han Xiaorui was quite satisfied with the meal.

She ate three servings of beef, a full pound and a half, which greatly surprised Kuno Hiroo.

’No wonder she’s so tall,’ he thought. ’She eats more than I do.’

Han Xiaorui, of course, noticed Kuno Hiroo’s surprise. Using the excuse of going to the restroom, she went to pay the bill ahead of time.

She never intended to let Kuno Hiroo pay in the first place; otherwise, she wouldn’t have felt comfortable feasting so heartily.