Chapter Twenty-Nine: You don't recognize me? Should I know you?

Yang Rongrong stepped slowly out of the bathroom after her shower, a faint scent of body wash lingering around her. Her skin, flushed and translucent from the steam, resembled freshly bloomed peach blossoms. She wiped her damp, long hair carelessly, droplets of water tracing enticing paths down her delicate collarbone. Under the light, her eyes shone brighter than before, though her timid expression held an air of vulnerability that tugged at the heartstrings.

"How is it looking now?" Yang Rongrong asked, looking toward the television. She knew some English, but not enough to follow news broadcasts fluently.

Yang Jie glanced outside and shook his head. "The situation is quite serious, but since the National Guard hasn't been deployed yet, it shouldn't be too bad for now." He paused, then added, "Oh, right—get dressed. I'm going to demonstrate something for you."

Yang Rongrong blinked, then obediently changed. Though her clothes were stained with blood, they were otherwise intact. It had to be said that once she was dressed, her star quality was undeniable. She wore a long, off-the-shoulder dress with a bright floral print; rather than looking dowdy, it perfectly accentuated her elegance. She paired it with wedge sandals that showcased her fair, petite feet.

Yang Jie rubbed his chin, speechless, before opening the door and heading to the front desk.

"Hey buddy, you got any clean women's clothes? On the smaller side?"

The clerk shrugged. "Do I look like a thrift store to you?"

Yang Jie pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and waved it in front of him. The clerk’s eyes lit up instantly, and he immediately produced a bundle. "This size should fit your lady friend. Though, it might be a bit hard to tear off," he said with a suggestive wink.

"F*ck you! You're a real jerk," Yang Jie said, offering a middle finger as he left.

In motels like this, many guests would leave behind clothes or luggage for various reasons. A savvy owner would usually collect, wash, and resell them at second-hand shops.

Back in the room, Yang Jie told her to change immediately. Yang Rongrong was incredibly compliant. She had visited the United States several times, but she had never seen a situation like this. The image of Yang Jie gunning down a dozen people was still vivid in her mind; as long as his requests weren't excessive, she would do exactly as he said.

She changed into a white T-shirt that read "I want love, I want freedom" paired with a denim miniskirt, which made her look youthful and vibrant. A pair of white sneakers completed the look. Once she was dressed, Yang Jie helped her put on a small bulletproof vest, fastened a tactical belt, and equipped her with two handguns and four spare magazines. You could never have too many magazines; it was better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

Yang Rongrong, however, had a rough time. At 160 centimeters tall and weighing less than a hundred pounds, the vest alone weighed ten kilograms. With the two pistols, the belt, and the magazines, the load exceeded fifteen kilograms, nearly pinning her to the floor.

"It's so heavy!" Yang Rongrong murmured, frowning.

Yang Jie patted her vest. "It's a military-grade Level III vest. It’ll handle this kind of conflict just fine."

"Too heavy!" she complained.

Yang Jie glanced at her. "Heavy? This is light. If it were Russian-made, the empty weight alone would be over fifteen kilograms!"

Just then, her stomach let out a pathetic growl. She looked at Yang Jie, embarrassed. "I just got here and don't have the local food delivery apps. Could you order something?"

Yang Jie immediately pulled two cups of instant noodles and a few packs of military-grade compressed biscuits from his bag. "Here, go ahead and boil some water for these, too."

"Just instant noodles?!"

Yang Jie rolled his eyes. "It's this late—where would you find food delivery?"

Yang Rongrong was stunned. This was Houston, a massive international metropolis; how could there be no deliveries at this hour? She wasn't a naive girl, however; she boiled the water, prepared the noodles, and searched online. Her initial confusion turned into numbness as she realized that in foreign countries, food delivery didn't operate late at night. Shops closed early, and the delivery drivers were just there to make money, not to risk their lives.

Five minutes later, after eating the noodles and four squares of compressed biscuits, Yang Jie finally felt satisfied. Truth be told, he had been starving for a while.

As Yang Rongrong prepared to sleep, she realized a major problem. This was a room with one large bed. She glanced at Yang Jie, who stood like a steel tower, his arms thicker than her thighs, and gulped hard. Surely nothing bad would happen, right? Still, she crawled onto the bed without taking off her vest, pulled the covers up, and pretended to sleep.

Yang Jie, seeing that things were quiet, lowered the TV volume and lay down as well. Suddenly, he remembered something and shook her awake. Under his instruction, she made a "V" sign, and they took a selfie together.

"Are you a fan of mine?" she asked, feeling a small spark of joy. Even as a second-tier celebrity, becoming famous overseas would be a huge boost to her career, and even with her laid-back personality, she couldn't resist that temptation.

After sending the photo, Yang Jie rolled his eyes. "The Chinese Consulate in Houston asked me to help. Otherwise, do you think a billionaire like me would have the brain damage required to come and save you?"

Yang Rongrong froze, a warm feeling spreading in her chest. Even in a foreign land, her country hadn't abandoned her. "Wait, you... you don't know who I am?" She had completely bypassed the "billionaire" part.

Yang Jie leaned against the pillow, eyes closed. "Why would I know you? There are so many celebrities. If I knew all of them, how would I have time to live?" As a billionaire, he had seen plenty of stars; some had even pursued him. Once you've seen enough, they lose their luster.

"Then... do you watch domestic TV dramas?"

Yang Jie kept his eyes shut. "I don't really watch them, but my wife likes them, so I watch along sometimes."

Yang Rongrong began listing the names of various dramas, movies, and her own name. All she got in response was an awkward chuckle.

"Sounds familiar..."

Yang Rongrong felt embarrassed. It seemed she had been too full of herself. When she tried to ask more, the only response was the sound of Yang Jie’s light snoring. His enhanced physical state allowed him to fall asleep in a second.

"Sigh..."

Left with no choice, Yang Rongrong pretended to sleep again.

Time passed until, suddenly, the sound of gunfire erupted, followed by the faint, scratching noise of a door being picked. Yang Jie’s eyes snapped open, filled with killing intent. *How do I suppress this morning grumpiness?* he thought. *Screw it.*

He shook Yang Rongrong awake, covered her mouth, and whispered into her small, sensitive ear, "Someone is coming in. Stay quiet and hide in the bathroom."

Pinned by his hand, she couldn't speak, but her wide, terrified eyes were filled with confusion and fear.

"Don't make a sound. Go!"