Outside the villa.
A group of bodyguards crowded together, looking towards the villa with eyes full of envy and jealousy.
"He actually entered the CEO's villa, and moreover, the CEO personally helped him inside. This is unbelievable. Everyone knows the CEO hates close contact with people, especially men. But the CEO doesn't seem to mind him as much. Even if he saved the CEO, it's impossible for such a drastic change in attitude, right?"
"The CEO's villa doesn't even have a single cockroach, not even a female one, let alone a male."
"I can bet he's the first man to ever enter the CEO's villa."
The bodyguards whispered among themselves. As bodyguards, who wouldn't want the honor of protecting the CEO closely? It's a great honor, and more importantly, the CEO, though cold, is someone many dream of seeing regularly.
After all, the CEO is the most renowned beauty in Dongfang City. Countless rich young masters would pay any price just for a chance to see her face, let alone have a meal or coffee with her.
Ye Fan entered the villa like this, and the bodyguards were envious. How could they not be upset?
Indeed, as the bodyguards said, Ye Fan was the first man to enter the villa, excluding the CEO's elders, Xu Fu and her father. No other male creature had ever entered the villa.
"I'm sure that once he recovers, the CEO will kick him out of the villa," one bodyguard confidently stated.
The leading bodyguard was Xu Hu, a former special forces soldier with the strongest combat skills among them.
Xu Hu was Xu Fu's son. After the Chu Group encountered trouble, Xu Hu came specifically to help the CEO.
Xu Fu was an elder of the Chu Group and highly respected.
Xu Hu had his own fantasies about the CEO. He bled and sweated in the army to improve himself, hoping to one day protect the CEO. More importantly, he wanted to care for the CEO for a lifetime, viewing anyone close to her as a rival.
Although the CEO never showed him a kind face, Xu Hu knew it was her nature. Since childhood, he played with the CEO. In all his years in the army, he hadn't even had a chance to see her. However, he had her photos and often boasted in the army that the CEO was his girlfriend and his lifelong love.
Xu Hu firmly believed he was the most qualified to enter the villa, the first step to getting close to the CEO. But to his surprise, he didn't even have the chance, yet Ye Fan entered the CEO's private villa.
"You damn kid, I'll show you what's what. If you dare cling to the CEO, I'll break your leg." Xu Hu's eyes flashed, his mind determined.
"Stop gossiping like a bunch of fishwives and get to work." Hearing the bodyguards' discussions, Xu Hu's jealousy grew stronger. Annoyed, he ordered the bodyguards.
"Yes, Tiger Brother." The bodyguards replied grudgingly, fearing Xu Hu greatly. They understood his intentions and didn't want to provoke him, so they dispersed.
Xu Fu stepped out of the villa, urgently instructing his son, "Bring Zhao Xianghua and Wang Zijian here. Remember, even if you have to bind them, bring them at all costs and quickly. This is a huge matter, and there's no room for error."
He was referring to the third and fourth largest stockholders allied with Zhang Daya.
Xu Hu and the bodyguards split into two groups to handle it.
"In three days, Zhang Daya will challenge the CEO at the board meeting. I don't know if there's enough time. While I have high hopes for him, turning the situation around in such a short time seems nearly impossible." Xu Fu mumbled, not because he didn't trust Ye Fan, but out of deep concern.
Inside the villa, Ye Fan was devouring food at a speed that left Chu Mengyao dumbfounded.
It wasn't just his eating habits; even the amount Ye Fan ate in one bite would take a slow-eating girl dozens of bites to finish.
Chu Mengyao herself didn't know what she was thinking when she brought Ye Fan into the villa.
She was also pondering how to solve Ye Fan's living situation. She couldn't bear to let him live with the bodyguards because she found that Ye Fan, like her, didn't fit in.
She was naturally inclined towards business. If she hadn't inherited her family's company, she wouldn't have achieved anything starting from scratch.
Because, naturally, she was a decision-maker with brains, skill, and capability.
If Ye Fan lived with the bodyguards, he'd become an outcast, something she didn't want to see.
So after much consideration, Chu Mengyao decided to let Ye Fan stay in the villa. Her villa, as the bodyguards said, only ever welcomed her father and Mr. Fu. No other man had been inside. It wasn't that she didn't welcome men; she had a psychological aversion to them. If they got too close, she'd feel repulsed and might even act defensively.
But with Ye Fan, she didn't feel that way, which was the main reason she decided to let him stay in the villa.
"Eat slowly, no one is fighting you for it," Chu Mengyao said coldly.
"It's a habit," Ye Fan explained lightly after swallowing a mouthful of food.
Watching Ye Fan, Chu Mengyao felt a strange emotion like a mother watching a hungry child.
Seeing that Ye Fan seemed like he might choke, she got up to get him water, but then paused, thinking, "I'm always the one being served, and now I'm serving him? This is a first for me."
Chu Mengyao hesitated for a second, her feelings mixed, but she went to pour Ye Fan some water.
A glass of water was placed in front of Ye Fan.
Chu Mengyao's simple act of care warmed Ye Fan's heart. He said gratefully, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Chu Mengyao replied casually, then wrote a string of numbers on a piece of paper, pushing it towards Ye Fan, saying, "The villa door has an electronic lock. This is the password. From now on, you'll live in the villa. You can wander around the first floor freely, but I'd prefer you not go to the second floor; that's my territory."
"Okay." Ye Fan nodded.
An hour later, Xu Fu entered the villa, full of hope, saying, "Those two have been brought here."
Ye Fan left with Xu Fu.
Chu Mengyao also left, curious. She had no way to deal with the two stockholders who betrayed her. What could Ye Fan possibly do?