Short, Light, Free Chapter 138

"Sorry, Li DanFC is my bodyguard . I booked this room with his name," he explained, pointing at the man in a suit outside the door .

The man in the suit waved . "I'm Li DanFC, Mr . Yun Huateng's bodyguard . "

"Yun Huateng?" I repeated, confused .

"Yes, that's my name," he replied with a smile .

The woman beside him looked at me with thinly veiled shock .

"Your family name is Yun? Why would you want mine then?" I asked .

"Let's talk in the living room . It's quite complicated . It's a little weird for us to see you lying down . " Yun Huateng pointed at the hall area .

The bodyguard withdrew and took his post by the door .

The couple watched me as I got off the bed and walked out . I looked around to see if anyone was hiding in a corner .

After I was satisfied that there were only three of them, I turned to observe the bodyguard again .

He was a big fellow and I definitely wasn't his match .

I sat on the sofa in the living room and Yun Huateng asked, "Tea or coffee, Mr . Gou Dan?"

"Water's fine," I answered cautiously .

He waved his hand and his bodyguard started preparing the cups .  

I thought about the situation and the man's motive .

Yun was a good surname, and since they were able to book this room, it was safe to say that they were exorbitantly wealthy .

It was very unlikely that he had taken a liking to my surname, so what did he want to talk to me about?

Yun Huateng looked about 40 or 50 years old, and although the woman beside him had an air of elegance about her, her mature age was more than obvious . Every time I looked at her, I get the sense of deja vu, but I couldn't point out exactly when or where I might've seen her .

I probed, "Is the woman your lover?"

"My wife, w.a.n.g Xiaomei," he answered kindly .

Aha!  She was a female lead in an old television series I followed when I was young .

That series came out before I was born and she seemed to be decently popular during that period . Was this a rich and famous combination couple? They weren't average people for sure, so what do they want with me?

To try and take the lead of the situation, I hedged, "I'm a surname changer . I don't think you're hoping for your child to follow my surname, right? Yun and w.a.n.g are good surnames . And if I'm not wrong, this lady here isn't even pregnant yet . It's already June and if she's giving birth, it would take place next year . Aren't you seeking me out too early?"

Yun Huateng explained, smiling, "We do want a surname change for our child, but he's not here . "

Was the child from a mistress?

Why bring the wife then?

An enemy perhaps?

Did they want the enemy's child to be a Gou for life? Just as how the ancient emperor had humiliated our clan?

The world belonging to the rich was difficult to comprehend .

"Please clarify this matter, Mr . Yun," I said .

He took out a photograph from his pocket . "Take a look at this . "

I glanced down at the photo and shuddered . "When did you capture this photo of me?"

"So you think so too?" he asked, smiling .

"Think so? Think what? You mean to say this person isn't me?" I took a closer look at the person in the photograph and realized that it wasn't actually me . He was dressed in clothes I did not have, and he was leaning against a Ferrari, another item that I most certainly did not possess . We looked so alike, we could pa.s.s off as twins .  

"Who is he? Why do we look so alike?"

"He's my son, Yun Huan . He's born half a year later than you . He's studying in America right now . "

"What are you planning to do?" The situation seemed too strange .

"We want him to have your surname and ident.i.ty," he answered .

My mind went straight to the case I'd heard about a black man . He had committed a crime, and in order to stay alive, he needed a new ident.i.ty .

What if this was the case with this family?

"That's illegal . " I swiftly stood up from the sofa and grabbed the teacup handle, raising it high up . I didn't know exactly how this teacup would do me good, but anything is better than being defenseless .

The bodyguard surged forward to protect Yun Huateng .

A minute pa.s.sed silently .

Just as the atmosphere turned a bit awkward, Yun Huateng reached his hand out to his bodyguard . "It's okay, nothing's going to happen . Leave us alone . "

The bodyguard retreated two steps back, but I kept my gaze locked on Yun Huateng . My arm was starting to ache and I made a mental note to start exercising more . I really was unfit .

"Please relax, Mr . Gou Dan . We wouldn't have invited you over to talk if we had bad intentions . We just wanted to negotiate . You won't be disappointed by what we can offer you, and we can guarantee your safety . No risks at all," Yun Huateng promised .

"I won't do anything illegal," I insisted frustratedly before lowering the teacup .

"Have you thought about it, Mr . Gou Dan? Surname changing is a shady business, too," Yun Huateng brought up .

"Teacher said that we're walking on the fine line that's dividing what's legal and not . So technically, it's not illegal," I corrected .

"That's great because what we hope you can do is also not considered illegal . Just do this once and you'll live the rest of your life in luxury . "

"I'll give Teacher a call first . This is beyond what I expected," I told him .

"I do not wish for anyone else to know about this transaction . The lesser who knows about this, the safer my son will be," he explained .

"Fine . So, you want me to change the surname of your son, the man in the photograph . But if that happens, if he becomes me, what about  me ?" I questioned .

"You'll still be you . "

"I smell deceit . " I started to stand up again, agitated .

"Settle down and let me finish, please, Mr . Gou Dan," he urged .

Hesitantly, I sat back down .

I looked at the bodyguard, who was preparing tea and said, "I'll leave if I sense something problematic . Promise me that you and your bodyguard won't stop me . "

He nodded . "Yun Huan has been accused of killing somebody in America . His roommate was the victim, a white man . There weren't cameras around to check for evidence, so my son became the main suspect since he was the only one present . You should know how severe racial discrimination is there . We've tried spending money to resolve this but to no avail . The judge is on our side, but we were unable to bribe the jury, which is bad since they are likely to be biased .

If I try to bribe them and it spreads, my son will be in greater danger . Right now, he's under pending investigation and is unable to leave the country . Our idea is simple . He can just return to China safely and the rest can be settled with money and he won't have to be in court anymore . "

"The case is unsolved but you want him to return with my ident.i.ty?"

"Yesterday, my bodyguard saw you by chance and snapped a photograph . The resemblance is striking . I got an even greater shock after meeting you in person . Even your heights are similar," he continued .

"What about the details? The procedures to travel back?" I asked .

"That's also simple . You will go over there to have fun for a month before coming back .  In the month that you're over there, he'll learn to imitate you . My son then will return by sea with your ident.i.ty and he will continue living with us under your name . "

"Wait, why must I go over there?" I demanded . "I hope you know that sounds fishy and it's not helping your case . "

"Because we'll need your pa.s.sport . Leave it with us when you're back and I'll mail it to my son so he can disguise himself as you and make his way back . Your ident.i.ty belongs to you, and he's just borrowing your pa.s.sport . Future a.s.sets of his, like houses and cars, will be bought under my company name . We can also use the money to keep his future wife's family mum . We won't misuse your ident.i.ty," he a.s.sured me .

Sorry, Li DanFC is my bodyguard . I booked this room with his name, he explained, pointing at the man in a suit outside the door . The man in the suit waved . I 39 m Li DanFC, Mr . Yun Huateng 39 s bodyguard . Yun Huateng I repeated, confused . Yes, that 39 s my name, he replied with a smile . The woman beside him looked at me with thinly veiled shock . Your family name is Yun Why would you want mine then I asked . Let 39 s talk in the living room . It 39 s quite complicated . It 39 s a little weird for us to see you lying down . Yun Huateng pointed at the hall area . The bodyguard withdrew and took his post by the door . The couple watched me as I got off the bed and walked out . I looked around to see if anyone was hiding in a corner . After I was satisfied that there were only three of them, I turned to observe the bodyguard again . He was a big fellow and I definitely wasn 39 t his match . I sat on the sofa in the living room and Yun Huateng asked, Tea or coffee, Mr . Gou Dan Water 39 s fine, I answered cautiously . He waved his hand and his bodyguard started preparing the cups . I thought about the situation and the man 39 s motive . Yun was a good surname, and since they were able to book this room, it was safe to say that they were exorbitantly wealthy . It was very unlikely that he had taken a liking to my surname, so what did he want to talk to me about Yun Huateng looked about 40 or 50 years old, and although the woman beside him had an air of elegance about her, her mature age was more than obvious . Every time I looked at her, I get the sense of deja vu, but I couldn 39 t point out exactly when or where I might 39 ve seen her . I probed, Is the woman your lover My wife, w.a.n.g Xiaomei, he answered kindly . Aha She was a female lead in an old television series I followed when I was young . That series came out before I was born and she seemed to be decently popular during that period . Was this a rich and famous combination couple They weren 39 t average people for sure, so what do they want with me To try and take the lead of the situation, I hedged, I 39 m a surname changer . I don 39 t think you 39 re hoping for your child to follow my surname, right Yun and w.a.n.g are good surnames . And if I 39 m not wrong, this lady here isn 39 t even pregnant yet . It 39 s already June and if she 39 s giving birth, it would take place next year . Aren 39 t you seeking me out too early Yun Huateng explained, smiling, We do want a surname change for our child, but he 39 s not here . Was the child from a mistress Why bring the wife then An enemy perhaps Did they want the enemy 39 s child to be a Gou for life Just as how the ancient emperor had humiliated our clan The world belonging to the rich was difficult to comprehend . Please clarify this matter, Mr . Yun, I said . He took out a photograph from his pocket . Take a look at this . I glanced down at the photo and shuddered . When did you capture this photo of me So you think so too he asked, smiling . Think so Think what You mean to say this person isn 39 t me I took a closer look at the person in the photograph and realized that it wasn 39 t actually me . He was dressed in clothes I did not have, and he was leaning against a Ferrari, another item that I most certainly did not possess . We looked so alike, we could pa.s.s off as twins . Who is he Why do we look so alike He 39 s my son, Yun Huan . He 39 s born half a year later than you . He 39 s studying in America right now . What are you planning to do The situation seemed too strange . We want him to have your surname and ident.i.ty, he answered . My mind went straight to the case I 39 d heard about a black man . He had committed a crime, and in order to stay alive, he needed a new ident.i.ty . What if this was the case with this family That 39 s illegal . I swiftly stood up from the sofa and grabbed the teacup handle, raising it high up . I didn 39 t know exactly how this teacup would do me good, but anything is better than being defenseless . The bodyguard surged forward to protect Yun Huateng . A minute pa.s.sed silently . Just as the atmosphere turned a bit awkward, Yun Huateng reached his hand out to his bodyguard . It 39 s okay, nothing 39 s going to happen . Leave us alone . The bodyguard retreated two steps back, but I kept my gaze locked on Yun Huateng . My arm was starting to ache and I made a mental note to start exercising more . I really was unfit . Please relax, Mr . Gou Dan . We wouldn 39 t have invited you over to talk if we had bad intentions . We just wanted to negotiate . You won 39 t be disappointed by what we can offer you, and we can guarantee your safety . No risks at all, Yun Huateng promised . I won 39 t do anything illegal, I insisted frustratedly before lowering the teacup . Have you thought about it, Mr . Gou Dan Surname changing is a shady business, too, Yun Huateng brought up . Teacher said that we 39 re walking on the fine line that 39 s dividing what 39 s legal and not . So technically, it 39 s not illegal, I corrected . That 39 s great because what we hope you can do is also not considered illegal . Just do this once and you 39 ll live the rest of your life in luxury . I 39 ll give Teacher a call first . This is beyond what I expected, I told him . I do not wish for anyone else to know about this transaction . The lesser who knows about this, the safer my son will be, he explained . Fine . So, you want me to change the surname of your son, the man in the photograph . But if that happens, if he becomes me, what about me I questioned . You 39 ll still be you . I smell deceit . I started to stand up again, agitated . Settle down and let me finish, please, Mr . Gou Dan, he urged . Hesitantly, I sat back down . I looked at the bodyguard, who was preparing tea and said, I 39 ll leave if I sense something problematic . Promise me that you and your bodyguard won 39 t stop me . He nodded . Yun Huan has been accused of killing somebody in America . His roommate was the victim, a white man . There weren 39 t cameras around to check for evidence, so my son became the main suspect since he was the only one present . You should know how severe racial discrimination is there . We 39 ve tried spending money to resolve this but to no avail . The judge is on our side, but we were unable to bribe the jury, which is bad since they are likely to be biased . If I try to bribe them and it spreads, my son will be in greater danger . Right now, he 39 s under pending investigation and is unable to leave the country . Our idea is simple . He can just return to China safely and the rest can be settled with money and he won 39 t have to be in court anymore . The case is unsolved but you want him to return with my ident.i.ty Yesterday, my bodyguard saw you by chance and snapped a photograph . The resemblance is striking . I got an even greater shock after meeting you in person . Even your heights are similar, he continued . What about the details The procedures to travel back I asked . That 39 s also simple . You will go over there to have fun for a month before coming back . In the month that you 39 re over there, he 39 ll learn to imitate you . My son then will return by sea with your ident.i.ty and he will continue living with us under your name . Wait, why must I go over there I demanded . I hope you know that sounds fishy and it 39 s not helping your case . Because we 39 ll need your pa.s.sport . Leave it with us when you 39 re back and I 39 ll mail it to my son so he can disguise himself as you and make his way back . Your ident.i.ty belongs to you, and he 39 s just borrowing your pa.s.sport . Future a.s.sets of his, like houses and cars, will be bought under my company name . We can also use the money to keep his future wife 39 s family mum . We won 39 t misuse your ident.i.ty, he a.s.sured me .