Chapter 96: A Proposal She Can’t Refuse
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The two girls' bags were placed in front of Hardy.
"Boss, I checked with those bastards. There were a lot of items in the bags," Big Ivan reported with a smile.
Hardy opened Han Yezhen's bag, took out a long brocade box, and opened it to reveal the hosta inside.
"How did those guys deal with it?" Hardy asked.
"Waiting for your orders. If you want, I can take my men out of the city and bury them. It's an hour's drive to get there," Big Ivan said.
Though the thieves were despicable, they didn't deserve death. "Teach them a lesson. Starve them for a week and give them only a piece of bread and a glass of water a day," Hardy instructed.
Big Ivan shivered involuntarily, recalling the days he spent locked in a cellar by his boss.
"Understood, boss."
Big Ivan left.
Hardy held the hairpin and considered that the girl had asked for help from the Tang Gang, indicating her background might be significant.
He picked up the phone and called the HD Security Intelligence Department.
"Look into the backgrounds of the two girls for me," Hardy instructed, providing details about Han Yezhen and Irina.
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The next day, the HD Security Intelligence Department delivered their findings. Hardy read the report with surprise.
Irina was fine—a French girl with some family assets. Her parents had moved to the U.S. during World War II, and she had settled in Los Angeles with a regular background.
However, Han Yezhen's background was more surprising. She was the granddaughter of Mr. Situ, a significant elder of the Hongmen.
Mr. Situ was a prominent figure who had worked with Sun Yat-sen and was respected by Chiang Kai-shek and even Roosevelt. He had been a major force in raising funds during the War of Resistance Against Japan and had a notable reputation.
Han Yezhen's father was an architect, and her mother was a college classmate. The family did not engage in Hongmen affairs, focusing instead on their professional lives.
The boss of the Tang Gang in Los Angeles was a disciple of Mr. Situ and one of the Hongmen's key figures, which explained their interest in protecting Han Yezhen.
Hardy put the hairpin aside and decided to return the girls' belongings.
Driving to the University of Southern California, he made his way to the teacher parking lot and walked through the campus. Students strolled by, some lounging on the grass, enjoying a leisurely life.
As Hardy approached the Department of Architecture, he saw Han Yezhen coming down the stairs, holding two books. Behind her was a young white guy who seemed to be talking endlessly.
"Miss Han," Hardy called out, standing in front of them.
Han Yezhen looked up, surprised to see Hardy. The young man behind her cast a slightly hostile glance at Hardy.
"Mr. Hardy, what are you doing here?"
Han Yezhen turned to her classmate and said, "Andrew, my friend is here. I don't have time today. Goodbye."
"Mr. Hardy, let's go," she said, joining Hardy and leaving together.
Andrew glared at Hardy's back, clearly frustrated. If Hardy hadn't shown up, he might have been able to invite Han Yezhen to a movie.
"Is he your suitor?" Hardy asked as they walked along the boulevard.
"He's just a classmate. Why did you come, Mr. Hardy?" Han Yezhen inquired.
"You invited me to visit USC yesterday, remember?" Hardy said, pretending to be hurt.
Han Yezhen looked puzzled. In fact, it was Irina who extended the invitation, but since Hardy had helped her, she couldn't deny it.
"Let's go find Irina. She should be done with class by now," Han Yezhen suggested.
"Sure, I need to see her about something anyway."
When Irina saw Hardy, she rushed over, excited. "Hi, Mr. Hardy! I'm so glad to see you again."
"It's noon. How about lunch?" Hardy asked.
Irina hesitated. She had lost her living expenses and had borrowed money from Han Yezhen to get by for the month. Inviting guests would be a problem.
Han Yezhen noticed Irina's hesitation. "I'll invite Mr. Hardy to lunch to thank him for saving us yesterday. There's a restaurant nearby. Let's go."
"Sounds good. But wait a moment. I need to get something from the car," Hardy said.
"What is it?" Irina asked curiously.
"A gift."
At the car, Hardy retrieved two handbags. The girls were startled.
"Ah, that's my purse!"
"My handbag is here too?!"
"Check to see if anything is missing," Hardy said, handing the bags back to them. The girls examined their belongings, finding everything intact.
"Everything is here, including my money," Irina said in amazement.
Han Yezhen also found her items, including the hosta.
"Mr. Hardy, what's going on?" Han Yezhen asked, puzzled.
Hardy smiled. "I had a friend help retrieve them. So, would you consider inviting me to dinner as a thank you?"
"Of course!" Irina exclaimed enthusiastically.
They went to the restaurant. Irina asked about the return of the bags, and Hardy explained briefly, mentioning a friend with some influence.
Irina, majoring in journalism, was talkative and lively, while Han Yezhen was quieter.
After a while, Hardy asked Han Yezhen, "In the antique shop, you were interested in buying porcelain. Are you knowledgeable about it?"
Han Yezhen explained, "My grandfather was an expert in antiques and wanted to pass it on to my father, but he chose architecture. My grandfather often showed me porcelain and other antiques when I was young. I developed a passion for them."
"I studied architecture, influenced by my father, but I also minored in painting, sculpture, and art appreciation. It's a hobby of mine."
Hardy nodded in understanding.
"Do you collect Chinese antiques often?" Hardy asked.
The girl shook her head. "I don't have the money. Even if I find something I like, I can't afford it."
Hardy understood. Despite the Han family's wealth, Han Yezhen's father was an architect who focused on providing for his children's education rather than indulging in expensive antiques.
"Mr. Hardy, I see you've bought a lot of Chinese porcelain. Are you knowledgeable about it?" Han Yezhen asked.
Suddenly, Hardy spoke in Mandarin, "Not very well. I just like it."
"You can speak Mandarin?!" Han Yezhen was surprised and responded in Mandarin.
As a third-generation Chinese, Han Yezhen was fluent in Mandarin, though her Cantonese was more natural.
"How did you learn Chinese?" Han Yezhen asked.
Hardy shrugged. "When I was a teenager, my neighbor was Chinese. We became good friends, and I learned Chinese from him."
"You speak Mandarin very well. By the way, have you been to China?" Han Yezhen asked.
Hardy shook his head. "I've never been to China. The closest I came was when I fought in Japan. I was seriously injured and returned to Hawaii. Had I been on the Japanese mainland at that time, I might have visited China."
"Wow, you fought against Japan?" Han Yezhen asked, impressed.
"Yes, I killed over 30 Japanese soldiers and received medals," Hardy said.
Han Yezhen's admiration for Hardy grew. As a Chinese, she was moved by his contribution to the War of Resistance against Japan, especially since her grandfather had also been involved in those efforts.
Irina looked at her roommate and Hardy with some annoyance. "Hey, you two can't just switch to Mandarin and leave me out of the conversation!"
Han Yezhen and Hardy laughed, realizing they had been speaking in Mandarin without considering Irina.
"Mr. Hardy mentioned he served as a soldier, killed over 30 Japanese invaders, and contributed to the war effort," Han Yezhen explained to Irina.
Irina, who hated the Japanese for personal reasons, now saw Hardy in an even better light.
After lunch, Irina had afternoon classes and reluctantly said goodbye to Hardy. Before leaving, she hugged him and kissed his cheek.
Han Yezhen and Hardy walked around the university lake, chatting about antiques. Han Yezhen smiled and said, "Actually, my name is related to antiques too. When I was born, my grandfather held me and named me Yezhen, meaning 'art treasure of our Han family.'"
Hardy admired her smile.
"Miss Han, I have a proposal. I like Chinese antiques but don't know much about them. I plan to set up an art company. How would you like to be in charge of it?" Hardy asked.
Han Yezhen was surprised. "You want me to manage your company?"
"Yes, I'll provide the funding, and you'll handle acquisitions. I can offer you 5% of the company's shares."
Han Yezhen was about to refuse, feeling it was too early to make such a commitment while still in college.
"My five percent of the shares aren't cash but antiques," Hardy said.
Han Yezhen hesitated, her curiosity piqued. "Five percent in antiques? How does that work?"
Hardy explained, "For every 100 antiques you acquire, you can keep five of them."
"What if the antiques vary in value? How are the five chosen?" Han Yezhen asked.
Hardy shook his head. "It wouldn't be fair to pick randomly. We'll