Chapter 268: Refusal
“Is Xu Youyou really trustworthy? What if she’s actually the mastermind behind all this?” someone whispered.
But as soon as the words were spoken, the person who first recognized Xu Youyou immediately retorted.
“Xu Youyou spent tens of millions treating Song Zhibai’s mother. She’s a public figure—does she really need to show up just to scam a few bucks off of us? Didn’t you see how her bodyguards fought just now, risking their lives?”
The one who raised the doubt had nothing to say in response and could only lower their head silently.
Indeed, Xu Youyou’s bodyguards had fought bravely just now. Bulletproof vests aren’t invincible; even after facing heavy gunfire, only one of them had a scratch on his face from falling. There were no other obvious injuries.
Xu Youyou didn’t care about these murmurs. Instead, she gently asked, “Do you still have your passports?”
“They’re not with us. I think they were taken and stored somewhere else…”
Before the speaker finished, another companion exclaimed, “I found them! Our passports were kept in this bag, hidden in the car!”
Xu Youyou hadn’t expected it to be this easy and was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t have to contact the embassy. She said, “I’ll have my assistant book you a flight now. You’ll take a private jet back. I’ll cover the cost.”
Not everyone among them had come to Thailand for tourism. Some had been lured by promises of high wages, others tricked by friends or family with offers of free accommodation and tickets. Not everyone was financially secure. Xu Youyou offering a private jet made them all breathe a big sigh of relief.
Of course, Xu Youyou wasn’t doing charity for nothing. In that short time, she had come to a realization.
If someone truly wealthy, like her, came here for tourism, would the local warlords dare to mess with them?
Even though she was rich, in the eyes of the truly wealthy, she was still considered a “new money” upstart.
She realized that the real gap between her and the old money elite wasn’t just wealth — it was time and status.
She had always preferred to keep a low profile but forgot that sometimes, without being high-profile, it’s hard to gain public recognition.
And she realized the solution: build a public persona.
By crafting a public image, she could gain massive attention in a short time. The public loved creating idols — if other men could be idolized, why couldn’t she?
While arranging the private jet, Xu Youyou also had Xie Ran start preparing.
But the first person who had recognized Xu Youyou raised another concern: “Miss Xu, you said some of those people were with the warlords. If we’re dealing with such forces, won’t they try to stop us? What if they hurt you once we drive into the city?”
Xu Youyou shook her head and replied, “They covered their faces while doing this. No matter how shameless they might be, they know these things can’t be exposed.”
The person nodded lightly.
Xu Youyou’s gaze remained on the golden pointer that had indicated this person’s direction and she took the initiative to ask for her information.
The woman introduced herself as Liu Xiangyi, twenty-five years old, from Qiandi. If she hadn’t been a fan of Song Zhibai, she wouldn’t have recognized Xu Youyou.
Liu Xiangyi sincerely thanked her: “Miss Xu, I only realized something was wrong when they took our passports. If not for you, I don’t even know where I would’ve ended up. I really don’t know how to thank you.”
Xu Youyou smiled and said, “You don’t need to thank me. We’re all Chinese. If we meet abroad, of course we should help each other. If Xiao Song knew I helped one of his fans, he’d definitely be very happy.”
Liu Xiangyi felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing this and couldn’t help asking, “Miss Xu, did you come here specifically to save us? Or was there someone important to you on that bus?”
In truth, Xu Youyou had come specifically to rescue Liu Xiangyi, but she couldn’t say that outright. So she replied, “A few days ago, I saw a house in Bangkok I wanted to buy. When I knocked on the door, the owner was extremely wary. I faintly heard strange noises from inside, so I had it investigated and found out the owner was involved in human trafficking.”
Liu Xiangyi widened her eyes slightly, realizing something unbelievable.
Xu Youyou continued, “If the people inside weren’t mostly from our country, I wouldn’t have bothered.”
Xu Youyou wanted to build a public image, but she didn’t want to come across as a naïve saint willing to save everyone. She wanted it to be clear: she acted because she saw compatriots in trouble, not because she was trying to save the world.
Liu Xiangyi said, “How did I get so lucky? My university roommate tricked me into coming here. She said there were good job opportunities, at least 50,000 yuan a month. She wanted to help me get rich and even bought my plane ticket, so I came.”
Xu Youyou said, “You lived together for years in college, and she still set you up like that?”
Liu Xiangyi sighed and said, “She used to treat me quite well. I think maybe she was desperate and dragged me down with her. Maybe she’s not doing well now either.”
Xu Youyou thought of the scams she’d read about online — if you got trapped in a pyramid scheme in China, at least you could still eat. Overseas, not only could you starve, but even your organs weren’t safe.
“You want to save her?” Xu Youyou asked.
Liu Xiangyi hesitated and said, “If I had the ability, of course I’d want to save her.”
“You don’t blame her?”
“Of course I do. But I can’t just watch someone die in front of me. Unfortunately, I’m powerless. I don’t even know where she is now, or how to save her.”
After saying that, Liu Xiangyi looked a bit embarrassed and said, “Miss Xu, just think of it as me talking big. After all, I had to rely on someone else to save me.”
For some reason, Xu Youyou didn’t look down on her because of these words. Instead, she felt Liu Xiangyi was actually a very sincere person.
But after getting to know her, Xu Youyou still couldn’t figure out why the system marked Liu Xiangyi as an important “bargain pick.”
An average major, average abilities, average looks — everything about her seemed ordinary.
“I think you’re quite interesting. Would you like to work at my company?” Xu Youyou asked.
Liu Xiangyi’s eyes lit up, but after a moment, as if she had made a huge decision, she shook her head: “Miss Xu, thank you for your offer, but I’d rather find a job on my own.”
Xu Youyou hadn’t expected to be refused.
Xu Fang, who was standing nearby, quickly added, “Xiao Liu, Miss Xu is very generous. Even the lowest-paid receptionist at her company makes over 300,000 yuan a year, plus full social benefits. And you’d get to be close to your idol too. What’s there to hesitate about?”
The more Xu Fang spoke, the more conflicted Liu Xiangyi’s face became. But in the end, she still shook her head firmly: “I can’t! I really can’t go!”
