CHAPTER 41

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At 10:05, five minutes past the arranged meeting time, Yuan Luori was patiently waiting for the black-cloaked man. Zhen Li's voice came over the public broadcasting system from the first floor to the whole building. He loudly said, "Congratulations to the customer with the cell phone number ending 6919, you've been selected, please come up to the stage to receive your phone."

Zhen Li was stalling and only drew the first winner after five minutes. He had eaten the paper slips and lottery drawing box from before. The box now was the fresh one Cen Xiao had prepared. He had written some numbers at random, not knowing whether they were right or not. At any rate, if a customer's phone number just happened to match, then they would be the winner, and if he called out three times without anyone coming for the phone, one of the members of the Protector squad would come to get it.

Zhen Li called three times. The customers standing at the foot of the stage looked at each other helplessly. You Zhengping's third underling, Xiao Ruo, who liked to eat sweets, went up on stage. "It's mine."

When he had been caught at the very beginning, Xiao Ruo had been there, too. Zhen Li recognized Plain Face Number 4. He handed over the phone with a dry smile and said, "Congratulations, Customer 6919! Let me ask, how do you feel about winning?"

Xiao Ruo knew that Zhen Li had to draw out the lottery drawing for as long as possible to gather even more customers together and avoid anyone going to the sixth floor movie theater and getting in the way of You Zhengping's operation. As everyone looked on enviously, he said, "Happy. I'm just so happy. Recently, I helped a brother save money to buy his husband a phone. When I saw him buy the phone, I was so envious. Why wasn't there anyone scrounging food and drink to save up to buy me a phone? Now I've finally realized my wish. It's great!"

"...I didn't scrounge food and drink, and also, I feel like there's some grief in your words," Zhen Li said.

Yu Hua, at the foot of the stage, heard Xiao Ruo and frowned faintly. Why were Xiao You's brothers still concerned about the scrounged food and drink? Was he not making enough snacks?

Seeing that everyone's gazes, including Cen Xiao and the other Protectors's, were focused on Xiao Ruo, Yu Hua quietly left the lobby. For the sake of security, he also sent Zhen Li a message to say that someone wanted to interview today, and as the human resources director, he had to go lead the interview. Yu Hua began to walk. When he had only gone two steps, he was stopped by Lian Yufan in Plain Face Number 2.

"Sir, there are still two phones to be chosen, won't you wait for the next drawing?" Lian Yufan asked. He was wearing an employee's uniform.

Lian Yufan wasn't suspicious of Yu Hua. He was worried that if Yu Hua went upstairs, it would get in the way of You Zhengping's battle. Yu Hua currently didn't recognize Lian Yufan in his mask. 

He explained, "I'm Zhen Li's agent. I didn't take part in the lottery. I have an interview at eleven. There's someone applying for the position of public relations director, so I'm going to have a look at him."

Lian Yufan said, "...So your company doesn't have a public relations director."

"No, we do have one, though he's rather obnoxious and often abandons his post and refuses to comply with discipline. I'm planning to find a more obedient one. The money from this event of yours is just enough to pay a severance."

Lian Yufan: "..."

Yu Hua lightly raised his eyebrow at Lian Yufan. Maintaining a polite smile, he left the mall. Seeing that he really was leaving, Lian Yufan relaxed and didn't stop Yu Hua again. As for the bit about firing him...he'd see about that later!

After leaving the mall, Yu Hua went to a corner unobserved by security cameras and set up an illusion. For five minutes, he wouldn't be seen by passersby. He snapped his fingers lightly, and the black cloak appeared on him.

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