Chapter 148

On January 2nd, Kristin Cabella still hadn't reported for duty. She was two days late.

That day, Chen Hero left the house an hour and a half earlier than usual. Naples' chaotic traffic made him, someone who hadn't driven himself in a long time, flustered and almost late again.

After training, he and his teammates went to the parking lot to drive home together.

But when he habitually walked to the back seat and pulled open the car door, he found the driver's seat was empty.

Laughter erupted from his teammates behind him.

Chen Hero turned around and flipped them the middle finger, and then… he didn't go around to the driver's seat. Instead, he got into the car directly from the back door, then climbed from the back seat to the driver's seat, rolled down the window, and stuck his head out to a group of stunned teammates. "I just like getting in from the back, so what!"

After saying that, he started the car and sped away.

At the highway tollbooth exit, he was stopped by a group of fans. They had come specifically to ask him for autographs and photos. This was common among Naples fans, which was why Naples players were used to speeding. Because if they drove slower, they would be blocked on the highway by zealous fans…

Without Cabella, it was perfectly normal for Chen Hero to be blocked by fans. Who told him to drive so slowly?

After satisfying all the fans' wishes, Chen Hero got back into the car.

He had originally planned to go straight home, but now he changed his mind.

He parked the car on the side of the road, turned off the engine, took out his cell phone, found Kristin Cabella's phone number in his contacts, and pressed the dial button.

He thought for a long time, but no one answered, and the phone automatically disconnected.

Chen Hero called again.

This time it rang for a long time, and then someone picked up.

"Kristin, are you free tonight? I'd like to invite you to dinner."

While waiting for the call to connect, Chen Hero thought a lot—should I directly question her about why she didn't come? Or jokingly threaten to deduct her salary?

Finally, he suddenly remembered Cabella's indignant expression in the casino that night, facing the lewd, fat bastard's humiliation.

That was the most expressive he had ever seen Cabella. She was angry, she was upset. At the time, Chen Hero didn't think much of it, but now, looking back on that night, he suddenly realized that there seemed to be something else besides anger and upset…

So, the words that came out of his mouth were these.

The person on the other end of the phone said "Eh?" sounding surprised.

"Margaret Flower King Restaurant, eight o'clock. I'll wait for you." After saying that, Chen Hero didn't care what Cabella's attitude was and hung up the phone directly. Then he started the car, and just as he was about to get back on the road, he seemed to remember something and called again, adding a sentence.

"If you don't come, I'll wait for you all night until the restaurant closes."

After saying this, he threw the phone onto the passenger seat, turned on the blinker, and drove off.

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Chen Hero thought he would really have to wait a long time at the restaurant.

But in reality, he hadn't been sitting there for long when Cabella arrived. She was still wearing the black suit, as if she only had that one outfit.

Her face was still the same cold, expressionless mask.

After Cabella sat down, Chen Hero smiled at her and said, "I was prepared to really wait until the restaurant closed."

Meet up, crack a joke, ease the atmosphere. Chen Hero always felt that a girl who kept a straight face all day was too bitter, too stuffy, and not good-looking.

Frowning for too long could cause wrinkles.

Who would have thought that Cabella's first words after sitting down would startle Chen Hero: "I'm here to resign, Mr. Chen."

"Reason?" Chen Hero asked after recovering from his shock.

Cabella was silent for a while and said, "No reason."

"Then I don't agree to your resignation." Chen Hero saw Cabella open her mouth to say something. "I don't know why you suddenly want to resign, maybe something happened at home? If I ask you, you'll say it's your privacy, and you don't want to tell me. No problem, I won't ask, until one day you're willing to tell me yourself. If it's about your brother, you can take care of it. I'll give you a leave of absence, ten days or half a month, and I'll still pay your salary. You can come back when you're done."

"What if I can't come back in ten days or half a month?" Cabella asked.

"Then it'll be a month, two months, three months… until you're okay."

"Then what's the difference between that and me resigning?"

"There is a difference. I'm still paying your salary, so you can't run away completely."

"You're wasting money…"

"I have money, I'm willing, I'm stupid and rich, is it any of your business!" Chen Hero said stubbornly.

Cabella was silent.

※※※

The manager and staff of Margaret Flower King Restaurant all knew Chen Hero because he had eaten here more than once. At the Naples dinner, he and his female companion had also made a splash.

Everyone guessed that it must be Hero's new girlfriend. Who would have thought that after just one Christmas holiday, he had changed another one! Although this one, judging by her figure, wasn't as good as the one that day, she was still pretty good. If she put a little more effort into her clothes, she would definitely be a beauty that would drive men crazy.

Hero really deserved to be called a playboy. Why was he always surrounded by all kinds of beautiful women?

Those "mortals" glanced at Chen Hero with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Then they realized that the two of them seemed to be arguing?

Many people smiled, somewhat gleefully.

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In fact, Cabella knew that Chen Hero was helping her in disguise, but that was what made her feel like she was accepting Hero's charity. If they never met again after this, then she might be able to accept this help. But if she had to continue living under the same roof as Chen Hero in the future, she really didn't know how she should face him.

"What are you afraid of?"

Chen Hero's words suddenly startled her, and she shook her head: "I'm not…"

"You are!" Chen Hero interrupted. "I think something must be going on with you, but I won't force you to tell me if you don't want to. Anyway, you're my bodyguard, and I don't want you to be affected at work by other factors. So, until your emotions have stabilized, you can go home and take care of your own business. I'll still pay you every month. Okay, that's settled!"

Cabella raised her head, looked at Chen Hero, and didn't continue to object. After what happened that night, she subconsciously found it hard to be tough with Chen Hero… but she didn't realize this herself.

Seeing that Cabella didn't say anything, Chen Hero nodded with satisfaction: "Then that's settled." After saying that, he waved to the crowd watching the show: "Order!"

※※※

The next day, when Chen Hero finished packing and was about to drive to training, he was startled when he opened the door. Because standing right in front of him was Kristin Cabella.

She looked a little tired.

"I can't just take money and not do anything. That doesn't fit with my professional ethics." Cabella said expressionlessly when she saw Chen Hero open the door. "If something happens to you while I'm gone… I won't be able to continue being your bodyguard either."

Chen Hero saw Cabella standing right in front of him. Although she still had that unapproachable, iceberg expression, he was very happy, as if something very important had been lost and found again…

He grinned.

"Heh, heh, heh heh heh. Great! Have you had breakfast? Did you finish your business? How's your brother?"

He asked several questions in one breath.

Kristin Cabella's answer was very simple: "Let's go."

※※※

Sitting in the familiar back seat again, Chen Hero said to Cabella, who was driving in the front: "You know, the happiest person after you came back is our coach, Mazzarri. Because he can finally breathe a sigh of relief!"

Chen Hero's performance in training these past two days had worried Mazzarri. If he started the second half of the season in this state, he thought the team's attack would have problems.

But he didn't know why Chen Hero wasn't in good shape in training.

Now he didn't need to know, because Chen Hero had solved the problem.

Cabella didn't answer, and Chen Hero didn't expect her to answer. He just sat in the back talking to himself, incessantly, just like… Hamsik, that chatterbox, had possessed him.

As he was talking, he saw the police up ahead, seemingly waving at him to pull over…

"Ah, the police…" Chen Hero said, pointing to the police ahead.

※※※

A police car was parked on the side of the road, and two traffic police officers were chatting by the car.

"My kid has fallen in love with Hero. I gave him a Hamsik jersey for Christmas, but he said he didn't like it and insisted that I get him Hero's autograph…" an older policeman was saying to his colleague.

"That's no problem…" his colleague looked at his watch. "Hero will have to pass by here in a few minutes. When the time comes, I'll stop his car. Then you can have him sign an autograph for you. He never refuses the fans—haven't you heard how many fans have been chasing him in their cars after training these past two days? He's satisfied them all!"

"What reason do you have to stop him?"

"Speeding!"

The two of them burst out laughing at the same time.

They both knew how slow Chen Hero's car was. Otherwise, how could he be blocked by fans driving their cars? This reason was nonsensical and was really mocking Chen Hero for driving too slowly…

"Ah, here he comes…" The policeman saw a black Land Rover emerge from the corner of the road ahead. The license plate belonged to Chen Hero.

After saying that, he took a step forward, raised his arm, and gestured for Chen Hero to pull over.

※※※

"Ah, the police…"

Chen Hero said, pointing to the traffic police ahead. Before he could finish speaking, he felt a huge force pushing him back into the seat.

※※※

"Stop…"

Before the traffic police officer could finish speaking, the black Land Rover sped past him like lightning, leaving behind a cloud of dust that blew in his face and thoroughly made a fool of him…

Realizing what had happened, he turned around and ran to the police car, waving for his partner to get in the car at the same time.

"Chase him!"

"Huh?"

"Speeding!"

The police car screeched loudly and sped off.

In the end, Chen Hero was stopped by the police car at the highway tollbooth entrance. As punishment for his speeding, he had to sign his name on one of his jerseys for the older policeman.

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ps, Second update, continue to ask everyone for guaranteed monthly tickets!