How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 654

Feeling Like Shooting a TV Drama—What’s Wrong with a Didi Driver Having Some Money?

Maya was thrilled to see Yang Chen again after so long. She hugged him tightly in the street and made sure to take some photos as keepsakes.

As a woman from Jinbai [a fictional country, likely in the Middle East], this kind of public display was quite unusual, so they attracted attention wherever they went, with locals staring in surprise.

Maya was posing for Yang Chen when a man approached and said, “Well, Miss Maya, fancy seeing you out for a stroll!”

Maya instantly dropped her playful demeanor, adopting a serious and formal tone. “Good evening, Mr. Parfitt.”

The man who greeted Maya was Chris Parfitt, the vice president of the American oil giant Chevron.

Chevron was in talks with Jinbai Oil and Gas Company for a potential partnership, so they were acquainted.

Chris Parfitt was married, but unhappily. He often used his work trips as opportunities to pursue affairs in different countries. This time, on a business trip to Jinbai, he had set his sights on Maya.

Maya wasn’t interested in him, an older man in his forties, but Chris Parfitt was confident that he had plenty of time to win her over.

“The night was young, and I couldn’t sleep, so I brought my team out to enjoy the Jinbai night view. Since we’ve run into you, Miss Maya, why don’t we all enjoy the beautiful night together?” Chris Parfitt suggested with a smile.

Maya immediately declined. “I’m sorry, I’m with my boyfriend. Let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Mr. Yang Chen. He’s from Dragon Country [a fictional country, likely representing China], and I’m very much in love with him.”

Chris Parfitt immediately eyed Yang Chen with suspicion. Princess Maya had fallen for a Dragon Country man?

Could a Dragon Country man really be better than an American?

Chris Parfitt stepped forward, extended his hand, and said, “Hello, Mr. Chen. I’m Chris Parfitt, vice president of Chevron, currently in charge of the Middle East project.”

Yang Chen: “I’m Yang Chen. You can call me by my name. If we’re using surnames, it’s Yang, not Chen.”

Chris Parfitt: “Oh, I apologize. I forgot that people from Dragon Country prefer to put the surname first. What do you do, Mr. Yang?”

Yang Chen: “I invest.”

Chris Parfitt: “Oh, really? What kind of industries?”

Yang Chen: “Any industry that makes money, including the oil industry. Mr. Parfitt, please excuse us. We’d like to enjoy our time alone.”

Chris Parfitt nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. “Of course, enjoy your evening. I won’t intrude.”

Yang Chen walked away with Maya in his arms, which clearly bothered Parfitt.

He had been looking forward to showing his subordinates the beautiful Jinbai night, but now he was no longer in the mood.

Yang Chen continued to stroll and take photos with Maya, and they didn’t return to the hotel until almost midnight.

Coincidentally, they ran into Parfitt and his group again at the hotel entrance. They were just returning from a bar.

Parfitt had clearly had a few drinks, and his fair skin was flushed.

“Hi! Miss Maya, Mr. Chen, fancy meeting you again! What floor are you staying on?” Parfitt asked with a grin.

Maya said sharply, “Mr. Parfitt, please remember, you can call my boyfriend Yang Chen, or Mr. Yang, but please don’t call him Mr. Chen. Understood?”

Parfitt: “Oh, understood, Mr. Yang. Haha… Mr. Yang is staying here too? Which floor?”

Yang Chen: “Top floor.”

Parfitt: “Impossible! The hotel told me the top floor is reserved for a very important guest. There’s no way you’d be staying there. I’m the vice president of Chevron, and they wouldn’t even give me a presidential suite on the top floor. How could a Dragon Country investor like you get a room up there?”

Maya: “You’re right, the entire top floor is reserved for my boyfriend and his entourage. Someone of your stature certainly isn’t important enough to stay there. Even if your Chevron CEO, Voss, came, he’d only be able to stay on another floor.”

Yang Chen: “Alright, let’s not waste time with him. Let’s go up.”

Parfitt had always enjoyed preferential treatment in every country he visited, thanks to his position as vice president of Chevron. Even heads of state treated him with respect. Now, he was being treated as inferior to a Dragon Country investor?

Parfitt stormed over to the front desk and slammed his hands on the counter. “What’s the meaning of this? Why won’t you give me a presidential suite on the top floor, but you’ll give it to a Dragon Country man? Is my status not good enough?”

The receptionist: “Sir, I’m very sorry, but Prince Havid personally ordered that the entire top floor be reserved for a very distinguished guest from Dragon Country. We’re simply following orders. Please understand.”

Maya couldn’t stand Parfitt harassing the receptionist. “Mr. Parfitt, please don’t make things difficult for the front desk staff, okay?”

Parfitt angrily called Havid. “Hello, Crown Prince Havid, I want a presidential suite on the top floor of the Royal Palace Hotel right now. Can you make that happen?”

Havid: “I’m sorry, Mr. Parfitt, I can’t fulfill that request. The entire top floor of the Royal Palace Hotel has been allocated to a very distinguished guest. You’ll have to choose a room on another floor.”

Parfitt: “Havid, what are you implying? Do you think I’m less important than some Dragon Country guy?”

Havid: “You really are less important than him. Are you drunk? If you are, go back to your room and sleep it off. You’ll only get into trouble acting like this. I need to attend to my father, so I don’t have time to argue. Go back to your room and be quiet.”

Parfitt: “F*ck! Are you insulting me? Tell me who he is! Why am I not as important as him? I’m the vice president of Chevron!”

Havid: “So what? When he cornered the global oil industry last year, your Chevron was one of the companies that got hit. Does being a vice president really impress anyone?”

Parfitt suddenly sobered up. Last year, cornering the global oil industry… wasn’t that Yang Chen of Star Chen Investment?

Oh my God, it was Yang Chen of Star Chen Investment, the man who had brought the entire United States to its knees and unfrozen hundreds of billions of dollars.

Havid hung up the phone, not wanting to waste any more time with Parfitt. His father could die at any moment, and he needed to prepare to take the throne.

Parfitt looked at Yang Chen with an embarrassed expression. “Mr. Yang, I’m very sorry. I was a bit drunk. If I’ve offended you in any way, I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Yang Chen: “If you’re drunk, go back to your room and sleep. You’re talking nonsense.”

Parfitt: “Okay, okay. I’ll remember your advice, Mr. Yang. We’ll go back to our rooms right away. I won’t disturb you and Miss Maya. You should go up and rest.”

Yang Chen put his arm around Maya and walked towards the elevator, escorted by his bodyguards.

Parfitt’s sudden change of attitude puzzled his subordinates. They quickly asked him why he had changed his tune so drastically.

Parfitt said, looking sheepish, “Crown Prince Havid said that the Dragon Country man is Yang Chen, the boss of Star Chen Investment, who forced the federal government to unfreeze hundreds of billions of dollars using room-temperature superconducting materials. He also cornered the global oil industry last year, and the billions we lost were all earned by him.”

The subordinates all stared at the elevator in shock. The man from just now was Yang Chen, the one who played games with Wall Street.

“How is he so young? I always imagined someone with such incredible skills would be as old as Buffett, but he’s younger than me.”

“Princess Maya is actually Yang Chen’s girlfriend. That’s unexpected. Does this mean Yang Chen’s influence has already reached the Middle East?”

“What, didn’t you know? The real power behind Jinbai Oil and Gas Company is Yang Chen. Princess Maya might be the chairman, but she doesn’t own any shares. It must be Yang Chen’s doing.”

…

Parfitt said, looking uncomfortable, “Alright, alright, stop talking. Let’s go back to sleep. Remember, from now on, we need to be more discreet and cautious. Yang Chen is in a major conflict with Wall Street and the medical device industry, so don’t give him a reason to take his anger out on us.”

The subordinates quickly nodded and followed Parfitt upstairs.

Even as the vice president of Chevron, he still had to tread carefully around Yang Chen.

Yang Chen had made American entrepreneurs and investors tremble with fear through several high-profile battles, and no one wanted to provoke him.

Yang Chen and Maya were kissing when Havid called.

Havid: “Mr. Yang, please come quickly. The doctor just told me that my father might not make it. There’s a high chance he won’t survive the night. This news will spread quickly throughout the royal family, and I’m worried someone will try to take advantage of the situation.”

Yang Chen: “I’ll send someone over. Stay in the ward and don’t go anywhere. Hold it if you need to pee.”

Havid: “Okay. I’ll follow your instructions.”

Hanging up, Yang Chen immediately called Maktoum, the president of Star Chen Defense’s Jinbai Branch.

“Maktoum, take your men to the hospital immediately to secure the situation and ensure Havid’s safety. As soon as the old king dies, have the media release the news, emphasizing that the old king ordered the crown prince to ascend the throne as the new king before his death,” Yang Chen instructed carefully.

Maktoum: “Understood! I’m on my way!”

Yang Chen felt like he was in a TV drama, like a scene where Yongzheng [an emperor of China’s Qing Dynasty] seized the throne.

Just as Yang Chen hung up, he suddenly remembered that Lanshid [Maya’s brother] was in danger tomorrow.

Accounting for the time difference between Jinbai and Jingcheng [likely Beijing], Dragon Country, Lanshid would be in danger around 6 a.m. Jinbai time.

Yang Chen quickly said to Maya, “Maya, call Lanshid and tell him to come see me immediately.”

Maya was very obedient. She didn’t ask why Yang Chen wanted to see Lanshid. If Yang Chen ordered it, she would do it.

At that moment, Lanshid was leading his confidants to the hospital, preparing to protect Havid’s smooth ascension to the throne.

Then, Maya called.

Lanshid: “What is it? I’m busy with something important. Speak quickly!”

Maya: “Chen-ge [term of endearment for Yang Chen] wants to see you. Come to the Royal Palace Hotel now.”

Lanshid: “No time! I’m going to the hospital to protect His Highness Havid. We can talk tomorrow.”

Maya: “No! Chen-ge said you have to come immediately, or you’ll be in danger.”

Lanshid was immediately alarmed and told the driver to take him to the Royal Palace Hotel.

Soon, Lanshid arrived at the room and saw Yang Chen and Maya. Yang Chen immediately noticed the countdown timer above his head, showing only 6 hours, 5 minutes, and 35 seconds remaining.

Lanshid said unhappily, “Maya, I hope you understand your place. You’re not married to him yet. This behavior is punishable by death!”

Maya: “Who would dare touch me? You?”

Lanshid: “You…”

Lanshid was furious, but he didn’t dare to touch Maya, knowing that Yang Chen would never let him get away with it.

Havid was polite and respectful to Maya, let alone him, Lanshid?

Lanshid: “Speak, what danger am I in?”

Yang Chen: “According to my calculations, you’ll be stabbed to death around six o’clock tomorrow morning, just like you almost were in Dragon Country last year.”

Lanshid: “How do you know? Can you predict the future?”

Yang Chen: “Don’t you know that people from Dragon Country are fortune-tellers? I know a little bit. I calculated that you’ll be stabbed to death at six o’clock tomorrow morning. So, if you don’t want to die, stay in the corridor outside with my bodyguards. They can protect you. If you don’t believe me, or you’re not afraid of death, you can leave now.”

Lanshid looked disdainful, turned, and walked out.

But after a few steps, he stopped.

After careful consideration, Lanshid decided to believe Yang Chen.

“You guys go to the hospital immediately to protect His Highness Havid. I’ll stay here until six o’clock tomorrow morning before going over!” Lanshid ordered.

The confidants were stunned. At such a critical time, he wasn’t going to protect Havid? If Havid successfully ascended the throne, how would he get any credit?

“Lanshid, you have to go now to show your support for His Highness Havid. If you don’t show your loyalty, why would he ever trust you in the future?”

“Yes! This is the time to gamble on fate. How can you not take control of your own destiny?”

“No matter what Princess Maya told you, you have to come to the hospital with us now!”

…

Lanshid hesitated, but in the end, he couldn’t resist their persuasion and immediately took them to the hospital.

If he won, he would have a lifetime of wealth and glory, second only to one person and above ten thousand others. Any man would take that risk.

Back in the room.

Yang Chen said with a smile, “Guess if Lanshid left or not?”

Maya: “Knowing him, he probably stayed.”

Yang Chen: “Knowing him, he probably went to the hospital. Want to bet? If he stays, I’ll grant you a wish. If he leaves, you’ll cooperate with me in any position tonight. How about it?”

Maya playfully slapped Yang Chen and said, “Deal! Who’s afraid?”

Maya ran to the door, peeked into the corridor, and seeing no sign of Lanshid, immediately asked Yang Chen’s bodyguard, “Where’s my brother?”

Bodyguard: “Returning to Miss Maya, Prince Lanshid has already left with his men.”

“He couldn’t resist the temptation of power after all.” Maya said helplessly, sighed, and closed the door.

Seeing Maya’s disappointment, Yang Chen asked, “Do you want him to live?”

Maya: “I… actually, I hate him, but he’s my brother. Blood is thicker than water, and I can’t bear to see him die.”

Yang Chen: “I understand. Go to sleep, wake up early tomorrow. I estimate he’ll have an accident around 6 a.m., which means the old king should die around then, and the people who want to compete with Havid for the throne will make their move. I’ll get up early and take people over to take a look. I’ll definitely save his life.”

Maya didn’t know how to feel, not happy, but not sad either. It didn’t feel like the feelings a sister should have for her brother.

Maybe Lanshid had hurt Maya too much in the past, and she no longer felt any brother-sister affection for him, only a sense of obligation due to their blood relationship.

Maya jumped on Yang Chen, and they went to the bedroom. Maya lost the bet, so she had to accept any position.

At 5:30 in the morning, Yang Chen woke up with a start.

He got up carefully, gathered his bodyguards, and set off for the hospital.

Bodyguard: “Mr. Yang, the scene might be dangerous. You shouldn’t go. Just wait for news in the car. The other brothers will go up to help Maktoum.”

Yang Chen: “The main thing is that Lanshid will be in danger. Others can’t accurately judge when he’s in danger, or where the danger will come from. With you protecting me, I should be safe.”

Yang Chen had noticed that none of the brothers had a life countdown on their heads, so he could at least guarantee that everyone was safe.

For safety’s sake, the bodyguard put a bulletproof vest on Yang Chen.

Soon, Yang Chen arrived at the hospital, which was already swarming with people from various factions. The floor where the old king’s ward was located was overcrowded, and Yang Chen and his men couldn’t even squeeze through.

Yang Chen called Lanshid, who answered quickly.

Yang Chen: “No matter what you’re doing, come to the stairwell to find me immediately. Every second you delay could put your life in danger. Come now!”

Lanshid: “You… okay, I’ll come!”

Lanshid was still afraid of death. It was better to be safe than sorry.

At that moment, Amoqi, Lanshid’s ever-loyal lackey, followed him.

Lanshid: “You don’t have to follow me. I’ll be right back. Go back and guard!”

Amoqi: “I need to protect you. What if someone attacks you?”

Lanshid thought that made sense, so he let Amoqi follow him.

Amoqi quietly took a short knife from his pocket and followed Lanshid to the stairwell.

“What are you doing?” Lanshid asked.

Yang Chen watched the countdown on Lanshid’s head, now at only 10 seconds, and immediately realized that the lackey behind Lanshid was about to attack.

Yang Chen said with a smile, “I came to see if you were dead.”

Lanshid: “You…”

Before Lanshid could finish, Yang Chen stepped forward and grabbed Amoqi, who was pulling out a knife to stab Lanshid in the back.

Lanshid was startled and immediately demanded, “Amoqi, what are you doing? You were going to attack me! Who paid you off?”

The countdown on Lanshid’s head disappeared. He had narrowly escaped death again.

Yang Chen pushed Amoqi away and said to Lanshid with disdain, “Now do you believe me? Someone wanted to stab you to death, right?”

Before Lanshid could answer, Amoqi raised his knife and stabbed again.