chapter 21 Unknown motives ===

"Two minutes later than I requested!" Alexander Xu eyed the panting team members, noticing two were injured but seemingly not seriously, probably grazed by stray bullets. His face turned ashen when he counted them, asking coldly, "Why are there only seven of you?" Originally, there were nine, including Brandon. The thought of any loss against such minor opponents was a severe disappointment to him. Seeing Alexander's anger, the team shivered in fear. Brandon, feeling guilty, explained, "Ms. Lin and her daughter are waiting at our parking spot. I left two men to protect them..." That explained it! Alexander felt relieved. "Well done! I'll waive the punishment!" Alexander nodded slightly. With two men short, their combat effectiveness was surely reduced. Had they been there, the fight might have ended sooner. What pleased him more was Brandon's foresight in safeguarding Hannah and her daughter, proving his meticulous nature and reliability for significant tasks. The team sighed in relief, escaping the daunting penalty of running over a hundred kilometers. "Alexander, our weapons are too weak. Can we get something stronger?" The speaker was Big Bear, whom Alexander had once kicked away upon first meeting. Big Bear was known for his straightforward, earnest nature and was an excellent front-line fighter. Hearing this, Brandon glared at him. Wasn't the lesson from their first meeting enough? At their first meeting, he was chastised by Alexander just for an extra remark, showing no sense of severity! Yet, Alexander Xu just smiled nonchalantly, telling Big Bear, "In a few days, you'll get something interesting. Just don't be too startled when it arrives!" The payment had already been transferred, and he believed King Kong had already set off. All he needed to do was receive the goods on time. He wondered what kind of items King Kong would bring this time. With King Kong's capabilities, he was sure to procure some impressive items. It was a mystery how they would react to King Kong's treasures—surprise or perhaps—shock! "Really?" Big Bear's eyes lit up with excitement. As a warrior, the allure of fine weapons was nearly irresistible, akin to a playboy's inability to resist a beautiful woman. "You'll see when it arrives."Alexander Xu stood up, glanced at the bodies lying on the ground, and said to everyone: "Let's go, the police will probably arrive in a while." Although this place is remote, someone must have noticed the gun battle that lasted for half an hour. It was only a matter of time before the police came. To avoid further trouble, it was better to leave as soon as possible. After briefly cleaning up the scene, the group left quickly. Upon returning to where everyone had parked, Hannah Lin and her daughter Evelyn had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Alexander emerge safe and sound, Hannah's anxious heart finally eased. Despite the distance, she could hear the loud gunshots earlier and, though she knew of Alexander's capabilities, her worry for him was incessant. "Uncle, were you setting off fireworks in there?" Evelyn asked Alexander curiously upon seeing him. Children's innocence is profound. Despite just experiencing a nightmarish abduction, she didn't associate the noise with gunfire, thinking it was fireworks instead. Alexander Xu chuckled, walked over, took Evelyn from Hannah's arms, and playfully teased her nose, saying, "Yes, bad guys are most scared of the sound of fireworks. Uncle scared away those who bullied Little Evelyn with them..." He exaggerated the story with animated gestures and dance, amusing the little girl into ceaseless giggles. He didn't want to shatter her innocence with the harsh reality, crafting a beautiful lie instead. After Alexander's vivid storytelling, Evelyn planted a kiss on his cheek and cheered, "Uncle is awesome!" They quickly drove away from the place of conflict. Alexander instructed Brandon and his team to return and tend to the injured first, while he drove Hannah and her daughter back to the Prosperous World Group, also intending to reassure his father, who was likely still worried. After parking, Alexander let Evelyn ride on his neck, carrying the little girl as he walked alongside Hannah toward William Xu's office. This scene surprised many employees – Alexander allowing a little girl to ride on his neck? They hadn't heard of him having a daughter. Some informed colleagues began sharing the backstory with those astonished, as this wasn't the first time Alexander had done this. The insiders' narration caused a stir among the uninformed, revealing a tender side of Alexander that many were unaware of. This heartwarming moment made many forget the less likable aspects of this man. William, seeing the trio return safely, finally relaxed. He took Evelyn from Alexander's neck, asking, "Little Evelyn, did you miss your grand-uncle?" "Yes, I think about grand-uncle every day, but I miss uncle more!" Children always speak their minds, which is part of their charm. "You ungrateful little girl, your grand-uncle always thinks of you! Now I'm angry!" William pretended to be upset, caressing Evelyn's head with indulgence. Evelyn hurriedly kissed William's face, touching his cheek with her little hand and innocently said, "Then I'll kiss grand-uncle so you won't be angry, okay?" Their conversation drew laughter from everyone. Interestingly, Evelyn should have called Alexander "cousin uncle" by normal terms, but he had her call him "uncle," to which she readily agreed. William tried to get her to call him "grandfather," but she kept calling him "grand-uncle," much to his chagrin. After playing with the little one for a while, William sent Evelyn to her room to play and then began discussing serious matters with the others. "Do you know who the mastermind is?" asked William. "Jason Li!" "Jason Li?" William frowned slightly. He knew Jason's background well and looked questioningly at Hannah, "Is it because Andrew Yang clashed with the Li family?" Apart from this, he really couldn't think of any other reason. The Li family had a gang background, and Andrew Yang was the chief of the criminal police. The two sides could be said to be incompatible. The Li family sent people to kidnap Evelyn, probably in order to retaliate against Andrew. Just don't know how Andrew Yang got into trouble with the Li family. Hannah shook her head and said, "He never discusses these matters with me, so I don't know what's going on." Thinking about her husband possibly clashing with the Li family, Hannah started to worry again. The Li family was notorious for their ruthlessness. With their failed attempt to kidnap Evelyn, who knows what sinister tactics they might use next? Her husband, despite being the chief of the criminal police, wasn't necessarily safe. Alexander noticed Hannah's concern and pondered before saying, "Tell my brother-in-law to be careful. I'll have someone check on Jason Li and secretly investigate this matter. You and Little Evelyn should stay at our house for the time being, until things calm down." Alexander didn't take the Li family too seriously, but he had to consider the safety of those around him. He didn't want such incidents to happen again. "That's fine, but I don't want to trouble you guys," Hannah accepted Alexander's proposal, prioritizing her daughter's safety. "Don't talk about trouble," William said, "Your aunt and I have always treated you like our own daughter. We are more than happy to have you stay with us. There's no trouble at all. Your aunt is often alone at home; it will be good for her to have Evelyn's company." "Yes, my mom will be thrilled to see Little Evelyn," Alexander added with a smile. The Xu family was very fond of Evelyn. In the past, Alexander was often irresponsible, causing his parents much worry. It was only in Evelyn's presence that they could temporarily forget their concerns. The little girl was very understanding and always brought joy to the elderly couple. "You're not getting any younger, son. It's time you settle down and start a family! Your mother and I are still waiting to hold a grandchild," William lamented. In the past, Alexander was frequently involved with questionable women, much to his parents' distress. Now that he had reformed, he seemed uninterested in women, not having dated anyone for a long time and spending most of his time with his male friends. William wondered if the situation with Chloe had made Alexander lose faith in all women, even pondering an unlikely shift in his son's preferences. The thought sent a shiver down his spine—if that were the case, they might never have grandchildren. Alexander could only offer a wry smile, wondering how the conversation had suddenly turned to him. Truthfully, since his rebirth, he had never considered these matters. "Yeah, Alexander, you should settle down," Hannah chimed in with a smile. "Victoria Qin will be coming to our company to shoot an advertisement in a few days. Do you want me to arrange a meeting? Let me tell you, Victoria is a real beauty, on par with Chloe!" "Stop!" Alexander Xu hastily interrupted, saying, "Let's leave it to fate. Don't meddle in these things." He didn't want to delve too much into this topic. However, he wouldn't refuse if fate indeed brought someone special into his life.