Seeing Chief Luo's expression change, Yuan Changqing hurried forward to explain. "Chief Escort, don't misunderstand. This little brother is Captain Zhang's own younger brother, Zhang Xiaohua. We happened to run into him in town and brought him back so the two brothers could meet. Think about it—even if he weren't Captain Zhang's brother, he's still so young, and since he's from Pingyang City, we couldn't very well let him run around alone in a place like this, could we?"
Chief Luo's expression improved slightly after hearing this. He then asked, "You know him? You know he's Zhang Xiaohu's younger brother?"
Yuan Changqing smiled ingratiatingly. "Chief Escort, you jest. How could I know him? But look at this boy's face—isn't he carved from the same mold as our Captain Zhang? What is there to doubt?"
Chief Luo eyed Zhang Xiaohua suspiciously for quite some time, then patted his bald forehead and said, "Zhang Xiaohua, was it? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."
Zhang Xiaohua smiled. "It's like this, Head Luo. I was injured before the New Year and recuperated at the escort agency for a while. Perhaps we met during that time."
Chief Luo thought for a moment, then smiled. "Perhaps. There was a great deal of business at the agency before the New Year, and I was often out on escort runs. I didn't spend much time at the agency. We probably met once or twice."
Then Chief Luo said to Yuan Changqing, "Zhang Xiaohu went out on some business. He probably won't be back until tonight. Take this child to his room first."
With that, he held his head high and strode out.
Only after Chief Luo had gone far away did Yuan Changqing wipe the smile from his face and mutter in a low voice, "Ignore