Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

Chapter 632 Zhang Chuan's Request

After listening, Zhao Ci simply nodded indifferently: "Okay." He was never concerned about the salary; as long as he could stay here smoothly and complete his research in peace, everything else was negotiable.

Just then, Zhang Chuan suddenly stepped forward, his tall figure blocking Zhao Ci's side. As if he had suddenly remembered something, he looked directly at Jiang Hu and said, "I have one more request."

Jiang Hu's heart skipped a beat, as if struck by a heavy hammer. He thought to himself, "He's here after all." He stared intently at Zhang Chuan, his eyes almost bulging out of his flesh. His mind raced like gears, instantly calculating every possibility—this man had just easily beaten his two trusted guards to a pulp, the cracking of their bones still ringing in his ears. Now, making demands, it was clear he was using his strength to bully him. Most likely, he wanted an exorbitant raise, or some special treatment that others didn't receive, such as special meals, exemption from night shifts, or even lucrative positions like purchasing and bookkeeping at the mine.

Thinking of this, his anger flared up, shooting up the back of his neck. His face darkened, his brows furrowed into a tight knot, and his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white, his nails almost digging into his flesh. But then he realized the other man's fists were hard enough to break a monument, and he wouldn't come out on top if things escalated. So he forced a stiff smile, more like a grimace, and said, "Tell me your request. As long as it's not too unreasonable, I can do whatever I can."

Even so, he was practically grinding his teeth to powder—if anyone dared to make any outrageous demands, even if his old bones couldn't beat them, he'd have to send someone to the city overnight to find some skilled gangsters; he'd find a way to get them back. After all, he was the undisputed manager of this mine. If he were to be subdued by a newly arrived bodyguard, wouldn't he become the laughingstock of the entire mine? Who would respect him after that?

Zhang Chuan, however, seemed oblivious to the thick, unyielding cloud on his face, not even lifting his eyelids. His tone was as calm as if he were saying, "The weather's nice today": "I have only one request. I am Professor Zhao Ci's bodyguard, and my duty is to protect his safety closely. Therefore, I must live with Professor Zhao to ensure that he is always within my sight. Whether it's eating, resting, or even going to the mine for exploration, he must be under my watchful eye."

Jiang Hu was stunned, his mouth agape for a long time, his jaw almost dropping to the ground. He stared at Zhang Chuan for a while, seeing that the other man's eyes were open and honest, reflecting the wooden beams of the roof in his pupils, without a trace of joking. The tension in his heart suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, "poof!" He had thought it was some huge, difficult request, but it turned out to be so simple? Compared to the convoluted process of demanding a raise or special privileges, this wasn't even a "request" at all; it was simply a perfectly reasonable arrangement.

He let out a long sigh of relief, most of the frustration in his chest dissipated, the gloom on his face vanished instantly, and he even managed a genuine smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes crinkling up: "Hey, I thought it was something terrible, what's so difficult about this? No problem, no problem! I'll have someone arrange it right away, I guarantee it'll be done properly!"

As he spoke, he immediately called over Manager Wang from the logistics department. His voice was so loud it could penetrate the roof tiles, as if afraid the people in the nearby office wouldn't hear him: "Manager Wang! Go and prepare that small bungalow with a yard on the back hill right away for Professor Zhao and his guard to stay in! Replace all the bedding, tables, and chairs in the house with new ones. The quilt covers must be pure cotton, and the tables must be lacquered so the professor won't bump into them! Also, prepare a thermos, a washbasin, soap, and other commonly used items. Oh, and move a coal stove over there too, so it can boil some hot water for warmth when it gets cool at night! Make sure everything is thorough and meticulous, without the slightest carelessness. If anything goes wrong, I'll hold you responsible!"

Seeing this, Manager Wang dared not be negligent and hurriedly nodded and bowed in response, his face wrinkled like a chrysanthemum: "Hey! Hey! Factory director, don't worry, I guarantee it will be handled perfectly!" He turned around and hurried off to make arrangements like a gust of wind, not even bothering to look at the piece of leather that had been scraped off his heel.

Zhao Ci stood aside, quietly watching Zhang Chuan without the slightest surprise in his eyes—he knew Zhang Chuan's personality too well. This man seemed cold and hard as iron, like an unyielding rock, but in reality, he was incredibly meticulous. The mine was a melting pot of all sorts of people—miners, accountants, guards—and Zhao Ci, being new to the area and a frail-looking scholar, knew that Zhang Chuan's request to share a room must be because he was considering the possibility of things going wrong at night or when they were alone, such as someone eavesdropping on his survey data or him being ambushed without his knowledge. Zhao Ci always trusted Zhang Chuan's arrangements completely, as firmly as an anchor anchored to the seabed.

Before long, the lodgings were ready. Jiang Hu personally led the two of them toward the back mountain, constantly telling Zhao Ci about the mine's production progress and ore quality, such as "the recently mined hematite has an iron content of up to 60%" and "the newly explored veins are very stable." His tone was so warm that it seemed as if he was trying to make up for the unpleasantness earlier. Out of the corner of his eye, he would occasionally glance at Zhang Chuan, and seeing that he remained expressionless, he felt a little uneasy.

Zhang Chuan followed silently behind the two, his hands behind his back, his eyes scanning the surrounding vegetation and houses like radar—whether anyone was hiding in the hollow of a crooked tree by the roadside, whether eyes were lurking in the shadows of a corner, he even glanced at the clothes drying on the rooftops, constantly on guard for any potential danger. For him, as long as he could stay by Zhao Ci's side at all times, where they lived and what their living conditions were, were unimportant. What mattered was that he could ensure this person's safety, like an old pine tree guarding a mountain stream, never leaving, unmoved by wind or rain.

Zhao Ci was indeed a bit tired, so he went back to the house with Zhang Chuan to rest. Zhang Chuan looked at Zhao Ci and said, "Zhao Ci, let me take care of your injuries."

Zhao Ci smiled, then looked at Zhang Chuan without saying anything. Zhang Chuan looked at Zhao Ci and asked, "What are you laughing at? What's wrong with me?"

Zhao Ci looked at Zhang Chuan and said, "Zhang Chuan, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might have been found out by Jiang Hu today."

Zhang Chuan scratched his hair, then looked at Zhao Ci and said, "What are you talking about? Haven't I been protecting you since you were little? Of course I have to protect you now. Alright, let me take care of your injuries first."

Zhao Ci didn't say anything. After all, Zhang Chuan had always protected her since she was a child, so it seemed like a very normal thing. So she just sat there obediently.